My Twisted World (VA with my own twists)
by Rea Lynne
Summary: Rosemarie Hathaway and her best friend, Lissa had run away from St. Vladimir's academy in fear for their lives, now they find themselves returning. Dimitri and Viktoria find themselves whisked away to Montana after a Strigoi attack at the academy they attended near their home. How will this change the story we have read over and over again?
1. Full Summery and Explanation

Three students, two separate countries, two different upbringings, all they have in common is exceeding the expectations that have been placed on them. Rosemarie Hathaway and her best friend, Lissa had run away from St. Vladimir's academy in fear for their lives, now they find themselves returning. Dimitri and Viktoria find themselves whisked away to Montana after a Strigoi attack at the academy they attended near their home. How will this change the story we have read over and over again? How does it change the characters we know and love? The events will follow the book closely, especially those from Rose's POV, but they will be slightly revamped to fit the twists I have made. Some chapters will be from Rose's POV and others will be from Dimitri's. Please read and review.


	2. Chapter 1

**Rose Hathaway**

"Rose, we can't keep doing this. We need help." Lissa said assisting me into my bed. "It's been a year, we should just go back. Nothing has really changed for us since we left. We barely escaped this time. We need to just admit we aren't any safer out here than we were back at the academy. It's time, Rose. We'll be okay, but we need to go back. We have to." Her words died out as I succumbed to the endorphins in my body and drifted off into a happy filled sleep. Oh, before I go any further, I should explain a few surprising facts.

Our society consists of what most people would call myths and is made up of three types of people. The Moroi- who are the good vampires. They require blood to survive, but never kill their human feeders. They can also go out in the sunlight and though it makes them weak, it won't kill them. They also are in tune with the elements of earth and will be able to magically control one of the four elements. There are also twelve very special families that our kings and queens are chosen from. Lissa is from one of those families.

The second group is the Dhampir-originally half vampire and half human and the protectors of the Moroi. They do not require blood to live and do not have any magical abilities. They have taken great traits from both their human and Moroi heritage, though. From the Moroi they gain their heightened senses and speed. From Humans they received their stamina and strength. Many years ago though our society pulled away from the humans and now we live hidden alongside them, so Dhampir are the result of Moroi and Dhampir relationships. This is also the group that I fit into.

The last group is the bad guys. The ones of human nightmares, heck they're the monsters of our nightmares. Strigoi-the epitome of every scary vampire movie or book you've ever seen. Strigoi come about in one of two ways. They are Moroi that have chosen to drink blood of another person until they kill them, or are forcibly turned by another Strigoi.

Hiding our society from modern day humans is also why we go to private academies such as Saint Vladimir's in Montana. All of our academies throughout the world are hidden in remote places away from any humans. St. Vlad's is where I met Lissa and in the long run, landed us in the trouble we are in now.

One year ago, Lissa and I ran from the most prestigious academies in the United States for our kind in fear of Lissa's safety. Well-Lets start over at the very beginning.

At the young age of five, my mother dropped me off at Saint Vladimir's Academy in Montana, before moving on and concentrating on her career. I will explain more about that later though, because Lissa is a much better and much more important subject.

I met Lissa in kindergarten and we became the best of friends after I tossed a book at out teacher calling her a not so nice name. You see my full name is Rosemarie Hathaway and Lissa is short for Vasilissa Dragomir, two very long names and quiet challenging for someone so young. Since that day on, we did everything together. Her parents even began taking me along on their family outings, in hopes that I would one day become her sanctioned Guardian.

It was one of those outings, two years ago, that started everything strange and weird between us. Lissa's parents were driving us and her brother Andre back to the academy after a family vacation, when a deer had ran out in front of the car. Lissa's dad had swerved to miss it and lost control. The car ended up rolling and hitting a tree. Lissa and I by some miracle were the only survivors. The worst part was that with the death of her parents and brother, Lissa was now the only living member of the Dragomir family line, making her very special in our society.

Since that day Lissa and I had formed a special bond with one another. Well, it was technically only a one way bond, but it is essentially what has kept us alive the last two years. You see, since the night of the wreck, I have been able to feel Lissa's emotions in my head. Sometimes I can even hear her thoughts and when she is really emotional, can be pulled into her head completely. Lissa had also gained extra abilities. She was able to heal all of my physical wounds. We didn't understand why and we had been careful to hide it, but somehow, someone had figured it out.

That is why we ran. Somebody was leaving dead animals and threatening notes in and around Lissa's dorm room. It had grown to be too stressful for Lissa and her fear was beginning to consume both of us. Without knowing who to go to, we did the only thing we could do. We slipped out of the academy and took a bus to Chicago. The only problem was after a few months there someone had sent Psi-hounds after us. Psi-hounds are mean ugly beasts that are also kept from humans. They are most easily described as mutant wolves that are able to communicate telepathically. They are also very vicious.

Lissa and I had evaded them though and moved again, only to be found again a few months later by Psi-hounds. We finally moved to Portland, Oregon six months ago and had kept ourselves pretty hidden. That was until earlier tonight. The Psi-Hounds had found us while we were heading to my Taekwondo class. We were able to escape them, but I had taken a pretty big scrape on my arm from one. Lissa had healed me, but it left her drained, so after a couple bottles of water and a big dinner, Lissa fed from me. This weakened me and the endorphins in her saliva left me in a euphoric state, but it was close enough to daylight, that I could sleep it off.

That is also why Lissa chose my half dazed sleepy state to broach the subject of going back to the academy. She knew I would be too out of it to disagree. I awoke a little before noon to find that Lissa had already packed all of our things and did the one thing I had banned her from doing early on. She had used her credit card to purchase plane tickets back to Montana.

"Everything is set. I even called the academy. They are sending a couple of Guardians to travel with us." Her tone left no room for argument, so with a sigh of resignation, I rolled out of bed and began fixing us lunch. We had just finished cleaning up after ourselves when there was a knock on the door.

Signaling to Lissa to hide behind the couch, I grabbed my 'borrowed' stake, I slipped to the door quietly. Making sure that the door was still chained; I turned the deadbolt and opened the door an inch. Seeing that it was Guardians, I told them to wait a moment and closed the door to unlatch the chain. I backed away towards Lissa, keeping my eyes on them, as they entered the apartment.

"It's okay Lis, it's just the Guardians," I called over my shoulder. Lissa stood and came around the couch to stand slightly behind me. After basic introductions, the Guardians helped us gather our bags up and handing Lissa an umbrella led us down to their awaiting van. Two other Guardians sat in the third row seating.

It didn't take long to reach the airport, and with the use of a private plane, we were able to leave a lot sooner than I expected. Lissa and I sat silent using the bond and careful body language to talk. It was a habit that we had picked up during our last year at St Vladimir's. We couldn't openly discuss our thoughts on who was behind the horrid animal carcasses and notes, so we had started using the perks of the weird one way bond.

'I hope you don't become as stuffy as all the other Guardians after you graduate.' Lissa said through the bond. I looked around in a left-right motion and settling my gaze on the Guardians. We grew bored of watching the Guardians do nothing and Lissa's chattering in my head began to die off. Giving an exaggerated fake yawn, Lissa leaned her head against my shoulder, pretending to be asleep.

I was surprised when one of the Guardians stood and walked over towards us. Taking a seat right beside me, she gave me a slight smile. "I'm just curious about," she began as she looked straight ahead, then turning to look directly at me asked, "Why did you do it?" I knew what she asking, but it wasn't an answer I was ready to give. Shrugging my shoulder, I leaned my head against Lissa's and closed my eyes. I heard the Guardian retreat a few moments later, but still kept the illusion that I was sleeping.

I was shaken out of my dream of a beach and a hot guy rubbing me down with suntan oil, by the images of a twisted metal and the smell of smoke and gasoline. It has been Lissa's most prevalent nightmare since the car accident. When the sight of blood and fire pulsed through my mind, I was able to pull away remembering that it wasn't my own dream. Jerking up in my seat to my long, dark hair plastered to my face. Lissa was still leaned against me. As she screamed out for her brother Andre, I grabbed her shoulders, shaking her.

"Liss, wake up." I said. "Come on, Liss, it's time to wake up." Her screams died down to soft whimpers.

"Oh God," she moaned, flinching into her chair. "Andre." Tears were trailing from her still sleep closed eyes.

"Liss, wake up. We aren't there. You're dreaming. Wake up. Liss, please, wake up." I pleaded as I cupped her face with one hand and gently shook her shoulder with the other. Her eyes fluttered open and I watched as she slowly came back to reality. She rested her head back on my shoulder and I hugged her to me, waiting for her breathing to slow and for her emotions to calm.

"How are you feeling otherwise?" I asked her. The dreams weren't as often as they had been, but we had been using the bond a lot today. It seemed like she would have nightmares more often after she used compulsion or we used the bond a lot.

"Drained and a little sad, but I think I will be okay. I think I could use a feeder when we get back to St. Vlad's." She answered honestly. We weren't able to secure any feeders while we were on the run, so I had fed her every two or three days. Moroi usually had at least one blood feeding a day. I smiled at her in understanding. Although she had fed often enough to keep her going, it hadn't been often enough to keep her at her peak.

"I'm sure we can get you in for a feeding first thing. Well if we survive Kirova first."

"It will be okay. I promise. I will make sure she doesn't do anything too bad to us."

"You, Lissa, she won't do anything bad to you. You're a princess. I'm just a Dhampir. I'll be lucky if she doesn't toss me on my ass in some blood whore community."

"That will never happen, Rose. You're going to be my Guardian. My parents wanted it, and I want it. I am Vasilissa Dragomir and I can always, you know…" her voice lowered to a whisper as she glanced back towards the Guardians.

"Yeah, but you don't have to. You shouldn't have to. You know what it does to you when you do that." I told her shaking my head. I really hated when she used compulsion, especially when she had to use a lot of it. The last time, she had grown really depressed and it was nearly a month after we ran away before she ever started getting back to her old self.

Before we could continue the conversation further, the plane was landing and we were being led to a convoy of black SUVs. Next stop would be St Vladimir Academy.


	3. Chapter 2

**Dimitri Belikov**

I stood just outside the gym doors, my sister at my side, trying to process the carnage that lay at our feet. We weren't even supposed to be out here. Instead, we should have been locked away safely in the gym with the other novice and Moroi students. Ivan had wanted to skip our last class to slip away and go swimming in the pond just behind the Guardian Dormitory and being a sucker for my little sister's puppy eyes, I had let her tag along. I never imagined it would have turned into the fiasco it had.

We were splashing around, laughing at Ivan's crazy antics, when an alarm had sounded. We had Strigoi drills off and on, but this wasn't the usual alarm that was broadcasted. Dragging Vika and Ivan from the water, I gathered our clothes and began pushing them towards the gym.

"Something's wrong, this isn't the usual drill." I told them. Halfway to our destination, a Guardian yelled for us to get inside. There were Strigoi inside the wards. As we reached the doors, I turned and noticed that the Guardian had been running behind us, but had been stopped just a few feet behind us by four Strigoi. With a stake in each hand, he was giving the fight all he had, but it wasn't going to be enough. I saw him drive a stake into the smallest Strigoi and kick her back to free it from her chest. One down three to go.

"Get inside, novice!" He yelled out. His words woke me from my daze and realizing how stupid I had been I threw the door open and shoved Ivan and Vika inside. Just as I turned to enter behind them, the Guardian hit the wall beside me, and slumped to the ground. His breathing was labored and his face was surprisingly calm. "Take my stake boy; the other Guardians are too occupied with the others. Don't let them get through those doors. Don't let…" His words died as his head fell forward. I looked back to see the remaining three Strigoi sizing me up.

I ducked down, pulling the stake from under the dead Guardians hands and took a defensive stance in front of the doors. "They come first." I whispered the mantra to myself, letting it reverberate through my head. Taking my first real look at the Strigoi, I noticed that besides their chalky pale coloring and red ringed irises, they looked normal. "Don't hesitate. Don't lose sight of your surroundings." My mentor, Galena's, words ran through my mind.

With a grin, one of the Strigoi bolted towards me, reaching out to grab my neck. I quickly blocked his arm, knocking out towards his side. Quickly, swinging my hand upwards towards his chest for a kill shot, but the Strigoi was faster and with a punch to my face, caused me to stumble back against the door. I kicked out, using my foot to push him away from me and pounced forward. I blocked and attacked, waiting for an opening to stake him, for what felt like hours. Thankfully the other two Strigoi had stood back watching and smiling in amusement. They must not have seen me as too much of a threat. I was only a student after all. I saw a flash of dark hair and purple fabric fly by me as I blocked another punch. Whatever it was, it distracted the Strigoi long enough for me to drive the silver stake into his heart.

Kicking him away, I turned towards the last two Strigoi, seeing as my sister's slim frame slide across the ground. She came to a stand behind the Strigoi, the Guardian's second stake now in her hand. Of all the stupid, irresponsible stunts she had to pull. Seeing one of the Strigoi turn to her, I swiftly filed my anger, and rushed forward, kicking the Strigoi closest to her away, while scraping my stake across the arm of the second. The wounded Strigoi snarled and lunged at me. I began another deadly dance of blocks, kicks, and punches until I was able to back the Strigoi against the wall. Faking a left punch, I brought the stake forward and made my second kill.

Rounding back towards Vika, I saw that she was locked in battle with the third Strigoi. I ran forward and grabbing his arm, threw him away. Vika gave me a pissed look and with a roar jumped onto the back of the Strigoi and wrapping her legs around its waist, threw her weight back, causing him to flail and begin to stumble. I quickly staked him and grabbing Vika's arm hauled her towards the gym door.

Looking around before I pulled the door open to shove her back inside, I was frozen as I saw the amount of bodies that littered the lawn of the school. We both stood unmoving, our backs to the gym doors. Our eyes traveling from the Strigoi at our feet, to the mass of dead Strigoi and Guardians that dotted the grass and sidewalks further out.

There were a few skirmishes still going, as Guardians rushed about picking off the last few remaining Strigoi, but for the most part, the fight was over.

"I don't know what you were thinking, Vika!" I gritted through my teeth. "Why would you leave the safety of the gym? You could have gotten us both killed."

"And just what were you doing Dimka? Looked to me like you were on your own suicide mission, if it wasn't for me, you would have succeeded." She yelled back as she poked me in the chest, trying to drive her words home. Before I could reply, a Guardian appeared beside us.

"You did good, novices, but please get into the gym now. We will finish up out here and join everyone soon."

"Yes, sir," I nodded and grabbing Vika's arm, hauled her inside the gym with me. Dragging her into a corner, I bent over until I was face level with her. "That was reckless, Vika. I didn't stay out there because I wanted to. I was out there because I was the last thing standing between those Strigoi and this gym. That Guardian's dying words were to beg me to stop them."

"If you were the only thing between them and in here, then be thankful I did what I did. We are both alive so you should be thankful Dimitri. Don't scold me; you know in your heart I am right." Her voice lowered and tears threatened her eyes. My resolve broke and I pulled her into a hug telling her that we were okay and I wasn't really all that angry while swearing in my head about the women in my family.

We found Ivan and taking a seat next to him on the gym floor waited for the Guardians to finish outside and join us, letting us know it was safe once again. We didn't wait long. The Guardians entered one by one and gathered, talking in hushed tones in one corner of the gym. An older male Guardian entered and as he joined the others, they all turned their attention to him. He shook his head, glanced back at all of the students gathered, then exchanged a few more words with the Guardians.

With nothing else to do, I began counting their numbers. I ticked of the number 63 when I reached the last one. It was still a high number, but a school our size usually had a hundred or more. I hoped that most of the missing Guardians were still outside keeping watch. The whole gym had grown silent as students and teachers waited for one of the Guardians to speak. They had begun glancing towards us more often.

Finally one stepped away from the group, everyone's gaze had fell to him. His eyes traveled over the gym and his Guardian mask broke into a somber expression. Whatever it was wasn't going to be good. Guardians rarely showed emotion on their faces. I felt my body stiffen of its own accord.

"Thank you everyone for assembling here so quickly. As you have probably figured out by now, this was not a drill. Our wards were broken and a large group of Strigoi was able to breech the safety they would normally give us. We have dealt with them, and we can assure you that you remain safe. No one will be allowed to leave the gym today though, just for additional safety measures while we complete an investigation on the matter. We have dealt with the Strigoi and several Guardians will remain on watch for the rest of the day. When the sun rises, we will escort you in small groups to your rooms. You will be able to gather a few items of comfort and then will be promptly returned to the gym. I know that this has caused many of you to miss meal time. The kitchen is preparing simple sandwiches along with bottled water and they will be brought in. I know it is not much, but it is the best we can provide at this time. We also have people working on contacting your families. They are being asked to come here to St Basil's. You should start to see them arriving by this evening. If anyone is in need of medicine or has an underlying medical condition that would require special needs, please see Guardian Munoz. She will be stationed at the table on the North side of the gym. Again, I promise that the threat has been dealt with and you are safe. We are only placing you under lockdown to maintain that safety while we do further investigating." The Guardian's shoulders shook as he released a breath. A second Guardian jogged over and whispered in his ear. "Oh, one last thing, could Novices Belikov and Belikova please join Guardian Inez when he returns. That will be all for now." He quickly turned and along with several other Guardians marched out of the gym.

After he left, several teachers made their way over to the remaining Guardians while all of us students began talking amongst ourselves. "Dimka, where did the two of you go?" Ivan asked. I glanced towards the gym door as images of the Strigoi I had killed flickered through my mind. I shrugged my shoulders and falling backwards onto my elbows. Vika pushed against my thigh with her foot, giving me a small, sad smile.

"I thought I saw a freshman novice in the bushes and Dimka was watching my back while I looked." She told him. "I hope they get here with lunch soon. I'm tired, but I want to eat something first." I kind of had to agree with her, except I didn't think my stomach could handle any food. I just wanted to sleep.

The sandwiches and water did eventually come, and I sat picking at mine. It felt like dirt in my mouth and sat on my stomach as if it were rocks. I gave up after a handful of bites and went to toss the rest in the bin at the back of the gym. Looking back at Ivan and Vika, I saw they were talking as they ate. Instead of returning to my place beside them, I slipped beneath the bleachers to find the solace that I was craving. I stayed hidden in their shadows until a couple of Moroi decided that it would make a good spot to make out for a while. Sighing at the invasion of my solitude, I left to rejoin my sister and best friend.

My mother and sister Sonja were part of the first wave of parents and family members to arrive at the school. Our home was a good distance from the school in Baia, but it didn't surprise me. I am sure my grandmother had them catching a bus first thing this morning. My grandmother could be a bit scary. She was always talking in riddles about her dreams or feelings of things to come. Although unsettling, anyone who knew her always heeded to her strange demands. Over the years, everyone back home had come to trust Yeva and her warnings.

As soon as my mother laid eyes on us, she came rushing over pulling Vika and I both into strong hugs. Sonja fell into my arms, tears beginning to flood her cheeks. I hugged her tightly until Vika finally wormed her way in. She guided Sonja to sit down beside her, and they wrapped their arms around one another, crying as Vika replayed our day to her.

"Olena," I heard a feminine voice question from behind me. Looking down at my mother, I could see a female Guardian as she wrapped her arms around my mother's shoulder. "Oh, how I have missed your black bread. Seeing you, reminds me I need to visit home more often. Can you come with me for a few moments? I want to introduce you to someone." My mother agreed and with one last hug to me, she followed the young Guardian to the other side of the gym. A few moments later, Guardian Inez returned, gathering Vika and me and leading us over to the other Guardians and our mother.

"What the two of you did today should not have happened, but your actions are very commendable. Novice Belikov, you showed true Guardian spirit when you stepped in to help protect the people of this school when Guardian Khovansky fell. I know that you both must be emotional right now, but if you could please try to answer a few questions, I will make them short." Vika and I both agreed and Guardian Inez kept his word.

"Can you tell me how it was that you came to be outside the gym?" He asked.

"Ivan and Vika made it into the gym, sir, but I saw Guardian Khovansky fall before I could enter."

"How were you able to acquire a stake?"

"Guardian Khovansky asked me to take it. He asked me to not allow them to make it through the door."

"By them, you mean the Strigoi?" He asked. I nodded my head yes.

"How many Strigoi were there?"

"Four, but Guardian Khovansky killed one, and Dimka killed two without help and I helped him with the last one." Viktoria cut in.

"Is that true?" Guardian Inez asked looking directly at me. I nodded again, avoiding meeting his eyes. "So you staked two and your sister staked one?"

"No, Dimka staked all three." Vika clarified in my silence.

"I see. That will be all for now." Guardian Inez retreated and joined another Guardian who was marking something down on a clip board as various Guardians spoke with him. My mother gave me a small smile and suggested that I rejoined my friends. Following Vika, I made my way back to Ivan and Sonja.

A while later, the Guardian that had delivered the speech earlier returned. As before, he went around talking with other Guardians in a hushed tone and then stepped forward along with the Headmaster. Clapping his hands together twice, his voice rose above the chatter in the room, demanding quiet. When he had gathered everyone's attention, the Headmaster began to speak.

"Parents thank you for joining us. We are going to have to ask you to remain inside the gym with your children until the sun has risen. At that time the students will be escorted in small groups to their rooms to gather their belongings. You may join them, if you wish. We ask that you make plans to take your children home before the week is out. The damage to the school and the loss of Guardians has prevented us from being able to carry out the rest of the term for this school year. You will receive a letter in the mail within ten days of where your child will be relocated. The number of students here exceeds what a single school can take on in addition to their existing student body. Therefore, the students will be split between several schools. St. Basil's will assist in any travel costs, of course. I am deeply sorry that it has come to this. If you have any questions, several school officials will be available to answer them after the evening meal. The meal, like lunch, will be served here in the gym. Thank you all once again for answering our call so quickly."

"They're sending us to another school?" Vika's voice carried across our space in the gym. "They will send us to the same one, right Dimka?"

"I don't know Vika. I'm just as shocked as you are right now."

"I wonder where they will send you." Sonja's voice was filled with excitement.

"Even further away from Baia," My mother sadly claimed.

We watched all morning as groups of five students were led out of the gym. Most did not return, being instead led to their parents vehicles to be shuttled home. When our turn came, my mother went with Viktoria and Sonja followed along with me. We packed my meager belongings and were led back to the gym to await my mother and sister's return. After an hour, a Guardian appeared and led us to an awaiting van. We were driven to the bus station and dropped off to make the rest of our way home on our own.

A week after we arrived home in Baia, my mother received the letter we had been waiting on. Vika and I both were to be sent to St. Vladimir's Academy in Montana, United States. The news was bittersweet. Vika and I would get to complete our training, but we were going to be sent further away from home than we were hoping. The letter included bus passes and airplane fare. We would have to leave in three days' time.

Our family spent the first night in subdued peacefulness, but by the second evening Vika's mood gave way to anticipation. All three of my sisters were storming about the house, talking about how exciting it was that we got to go to the States, and packing Vika's things. The last night home, we tried to maintain the happiness from the day before as we spent the day around the dining table chatting and listening to my mother's demands along with my grandmother's riddled warnings of things both good and bad to come.

My last thought as I boarded the bus the next morning was that I would miss home more than ever.


	4. Chapter 3

**Dimitri Belikov**

We arrived at St. Vladimir's in the middle of the Moroi night. The school was much more open and spread out than what St. Basil's had been. Too bad that the Moroi couldn't function on a human schedule; it would be nice to feel the sun more often. The best part was that the time in Montana ran four hours earlier than it did back home. It would bite me in the butt towards the end of the day, but for now, I was wide awake.

We were led to the Dhampir dorms, to the third floor. Vika was led through a set of doors to the left of the landing, me to the right. Following the male Guardian through the doorway, he stopped at a desk just inside the doorway. They talked quietly for a few moments about some princess contacting the school and would be returning sometime the next day. The Guardian behind the desk looked back at me and clearing his throat, pointed to a door across from us, passing me a key. "I know it's not the preferable room. It was actually mine; I'll bunk with the Guardians for a while." He chuckled, "It was the only way for you to have a bed. It's a double too. You'll probably like it more, with your height and all."

I shrugged and taking the key, made my way into what would be my new home until graduation. I really didn't care that it was meant for the hall monitor. I just wanted to train, graduate, and become Ivan's Guardian. I tossed my bags on the foot of my bed and looked around the room. It had a desk and lap top computer near the door, the double bed sat in the center of the room along the right wall, flanked by two doors, and a couple of chairs sat in the back left corner. The first door led to a walk in closet and the second to a small private bath. Well that is a nice perk.

An upright dresser sat in the corner beyond the door, and right across from the bed set a combination bookshelf and entertainment center. The furniture took up a good bit of the floor space but surprisingly left plenty of walking space. I began filling the dresser and closet with my various personal clothing when a knock came on the door. I unlocked and opened the door to find the Guardian acting as hall monitor standing on the other side with a thickly filled garment bag.

"These are new uniforms. The ones from St Basil's are a different coloring." He said handing me the bag. I thanked him and went lay it across the back of the desk chair. When I turned to shut the door, he was standing just inside, now holding a canvas bag. "School books and a folder with your schedule map, and other stuff you will need should be in here. " Thanking him again, I took the bag, and he turned to leave but turned back. He swallowed harshly. "I hope you like it here. I'm sorry about St. Basil's. It was shocking to all of us, but if you need anything, well don't be afraid to ask. Most of the people around here are pretty nice." His Guardian mask had slipped for a second showing sincerity and a bit of nervousness.

"T-thank you, I think I will just get settled for now."

"Headmistress Kirova would like to meet with you before classes begin tomorrow. Her office is marked on the map." His look was all business now and he turned again, this time actually leaving my room and closing the door behind him.

I finished unpacking and setting up my room and still had another two and a half hours before I had to meet with the Headmistress, so I grabbing a book, I settled onto my bed. My mother had given me a new western novel for my birthday and I enjoyed the few moments I could steal away and read.

As the sun began to set, I grabbed my gym bag and the folder containing my schedule and map. The texts books were mine to keep in my room, the classrooms held their own sets. I made my way down to the commons area and waited for Vika. It wasn't long before I saw her come bouncing down the stairs.

"Dimka," Her voice rang out from halfway across the commons room as she rushed to me. "Do you know I am only one of two female Dhampir on the third floor? There used to be another girl, but she ran away. Meredith, she's the other girl on my floor, she was telling me about it on the way down. They don't have very many female Dhampir here. Even less than back home," she said lowering her voice.

"Good morning to you too Vika," I chuckled down to her. "Let's go grab some breakfast and go check in with the Headmistress." Leading Vika to the cafeteria I listened to her go on all about her room and how nice it was that she would only have to share the bathroom with one other student. I could honestly see the optimism in it. The bathroom was probably identical to the one on the male side of the dormitory and only contained four shower stalls, toilet stalls, and sinks. I didn't really have the heart to tell her that because the male Dhampir floors were full, I had been given a room with a private bath.

Grabbing our food, we found an empty table and dug in. I looked over her schedule and noted we would share meal times. "You still want to keep up our extra training?" I asked her, hopeful. Back home we had always met up an hour before breakfast to run the track and then again after classes to spar and practice new techniques. Vika shook her head as she bit into a biscuit. I was happy she had agreed. I really felt the extra running and practices helped. We were both at the top of our classes back home.

"Oh look, that's Meredith, she's a senior but my first semi friend here. Mind if I go sit with her a bit?" Vika asked as she stood and gathered her things. "Thanks." She called as she walked off.

"Why ask if you aren't going to wait for an answer." I grumbled to myself. I finished my breakfast and dumped my tray before going to gather Vika back up to start our day. She was deep in conversation about the Dhampir girl who had ran away the year before, taking a Moroi Princess with her. I tuned out the stories of the wild girl, lost in my own thoughts.

How crazy could a Dhampir novice be to take off with a Moroi, especially a royal Moroi, be? Did they think that fighting Strigoi was something easy? I still had fading bruises from St. Basil's and that was two weeks ago. I wondered how and if she was able to keep the Moroi girl safe. Then remembering the Guardians' hushed conversation from earlier and I had to wonder if it was the same Princess. It had to be. There weren't any other Princesses young enough to still be in school. The only one close to our age was the Dragomir Princess and she…

"Holy Vlad," I whispered and shook my head to clear my thoughts. I settled my attention back to my sister and those sitting with them to find them all staring at me. "Vika, come on, we are going to be late." I said and picked up her bag. She told her new friends bye and trailed behind me.

"Are you okay?" She asked, nearly jogging to catch up to my long strides. I slowed down to her pace and assured her I was fine. I don't think I was meant to know that the Princess would be returning, so I didn't want to say anything, least Vika would tell her friends.

Headmistress Kirova was sweet but very stern. She was also very thorough about expectations. Though she was receptive and nice, she seemed like someone you did not want to get on her bad side. We were signing a few forms, when her phone rang and her demeanor changed. After a few agreeable sounds, she asked her caller to hold and setting the phone down, smiled at Vika and me.

"Can I ask you to come back toward the end of the day? Something has come up that demands my attention." She said as she was writing on a tablet of paper. "Give this to the instructor in your last class and come see me then."

Although smiling, it seemed strained. Taking the notes, I agreed. Vika and I left and noticed that there were now a lot more students milling about the courtyard. As three vans pulled up, conversation died down and everyone began to eye the vehicles with curiosity. A collective gasp rang out as a dark haired girl stepped out of the front seat of the middle van. The students then exploded in whispers when a blonde Moroi was assisted from the back. I heard people mentioning names, Rose and Vasilissa.

The Guardians had been talking about the Dragomir Princess. She was as beautiful as I had heard mentioned, but my eyes were drawn to the dark haired Dhampir that was taking the Princess by the hand and whispering to her as they walked. She was strikingly beautiful. She was a good foot shorter than I was. Her waist was near Moroi thin, but gave way to supple womanly curves.

I chastised myself for the direction of my thoughts. I didn't have time to admire girls right now, especially a supposed trouble maker like the girl that had just passed by me. Repeating the mantra, 'They Come First' I drug Vika through the crowd to her first class before running to the gym for my first class.

The Guardian instructor waived us over as we entered and looked about the gym. "Novice Ashford, lead today's session." I watched as a red headed boy ran over and took a clipboard from the Guardian, excitement on his face. Guardian Petrova, I learned afterwards, lead me a corner of the gym and was began discussing what I had learned and going over different techniques.


	5. Chapter 4

**Rose Hathaway**

We arrived at St Vlad's just as the Moroi day was just beginning. I bet Kirova had purposely planned for this. That woman hated me. I felt confident that Lissa would survive Kirova's wrath, but I knew with certainty that I would probably face much harsher consequences than ever before. I'd be lucky if I got to come back to school at all.

As we were led through the throng of students whispering away in the courtyard, I caught sight of Lissa's ex-boyfriend. Standing next to him, gripping his arm, was a pixie like Moroi. She looked young. "Lissa, I hate to say it, but I think Aaron replaced you with doll like version." The mysterious girl was definitely Moroi with her pale coloring and extremely thin waist, but she was shorter than most Moroi. Her face was framed in blond ringlets and her large eyes were staring daggers at us.

I felt Lissa's confidence was slipping and being replaced with apprehensive fear. "It's okay Liss. I won't let anything happen to you. We are going to be just fine." I whispered in her ear as I squeezed her hand gently. She gave me a small nod and we followed the Guardians the rest of the way to Kirova's office in silence. Her office was filled with a handful of people, but I didn't really look at them. Narrowing my eyes at Kirova's calculating stare, I gasped when a Guardian grabbed my arm and led me to a chair directly in front of Kirova's desk. Lissa sunk into the chair next to me.

Turning my attention quickly to the Guardian standing over me, I took in her auburn hair and the angry disappointment of her face. "Mom," I hesitantly mouthed. I hadn't seen my mother in over a year. She was the epitome of the Guardian lifestyle. This was going to be bad. It was going to be more than bad.

Janine didn't say anything, her face going blank as she slipped behind the perfect emotionless mask that Guardians wore. Sighing, I turned my attention back to Kirova as she began her speech on our behavior. This ultimatum had to be her best one yet. She spoke generally of responsibility and how reckless our behavior was. When she started talking about how self-centered our actions had been, I tuned her out, instead concentrating on the likelihood that I could escape through the office window.

"Novice Hathaway," Her disdainful voice calling my name pulled me from my plotting. "You completely ignored one of the most sacred rules for our kind. A Dhampir Promise is only worth how much a Moroi can trust you to protect them. Trust, Miss Hathaway, do you understand? You violated and stripped any sliver of trust you had with this academy when you took a Moroi Princess from the safety of this academy."

"Rose didn't force me to leave." Lissa said, before I could say something that would bite me in the ass. "You make it sound like she kidnapped me when it was my idea. I'm the one that wanted to go."

Kirova shushed her and began drumming her fingers on her desk as she stared us down until we all thoughts of arguing left us and we slunk deeper into our seats. She was about to start her rant again when there was a soft knock on the door. The door opened slowly to reveal Victor Dashkov. Lissa jumped from her chair and ran to him. He enveloped her into a frail but tight hug; a look of relief filled his withered face. Victor was sickly and his disease made shaky and much to pale for even Moroi standards. It had taken a huge toll on him since I had seen him last. He looked twice as much older than he had at the funeral service for the lost Dragomir family members.

"I am so glad you are back with us, safe, Niece." His raspy voice came as a surprise. At my small gasp he looked to me. "Ah Rose, you're safe also. This is a good day. A very good day," He wasn't really her uncle, but as a very close family friend they used the terms Uncle and Niece loosely. It was more to show profound familiarity than actual family relations.

Kirova allowed us a moment longer to hug and give hellos before coming around her desk and firmly pulling us back to our seats. "As I was saying, Princess Dragomir, I do not care whose plan it was. Rose was more likely, as she probably was doing it for the fun of it. Then again, we do have the issue of destruction of school property that was never dealt with. The two of you left before it could be settled."

Kirova leaned back against her desk, and looking at me blankly added, "The issue here is that Rose took a Moroi, a Moroi Royal at that, out of this school and outside the safety that this school offers. Forgive me if I don't see any logic or lack of fault in this stunt. As a Guardian, or in her case, a Guardian in training it is her duty-"

"Duty?" I screamed at her. "I kept her safe. I did what needed to be done to keep her safe when none of you would."

"That is enough Hathaway. This school is not only heavily guarded, but is magically protected. Unless there is something you aren't telling us, there was no reason for you to remove Vasilissa from such a secure environment. So what is your excuse? Did you do it as some twisted joke or is there something we should be made aware of?" Kirova was the closest to spitting mad as I had ever seen her.

I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth and stared at the floor.

"No answer? Well if you can't give, or don't have an explanation, that makes my next decision much easier," she said calmly, almost too calmly. This was it, I knew. "You will be removed from these premises and you will not be coming back."

"What, no!" Lissa and I both screamed. Lissa stood and grabbing my arm, tried to lift me up from me seat. I sat watching Kirova as my eyes began to fill with tears.

"Please you can't send Rose away. She is my Guardian, just like my parents wanted." Lissa pleaded.

"Miss Dragomir, Rose is not a Guardian, but a Novice, and although I respect your parents and what they wanted, her actions have changed things. She is no longer fit to become a Guardian and therefore is expendable. She will leave this school." Kirova said sternly.

"Is that why my mother is here? Are you sending me off with her? Or what, are you both plotting together to send me to my father?" Kirova narrowed her eyes at my words, and I felt my mother's hand grasp my shoulder tightly in warning. "Maybe that isn't a good punishment either. Do you plan to send me off to be some blood whore? Try and do that and I can promise you Lissa and I both will be gone-"

"Rosemarie if you do not shut up and listen..." Janine hissed at me.

"What, now you decide to step in? Now you want to play mother?" I glared up at her as I spat the words before they had fully formed as thoughts. My mother flinched and removed her hand from my shoulder. She almost looked hurt before her face once again took on its stoically blank expression.

"Miss Hathaway you have completely stepped out of line. I am fin-"

"They share a bond like in the stories." The Guardian who had tried speaking to me on the plane spoke out. "The Dhampir, she knows what the Princess thinks and uses it to communicate. I'm right, aren't I, Rose?"

"That is impossible!" my mother gasped.

"It's not. I observed them carefully, and I assure you, it is there."

"No one has shared a bond in centuries. If it's true, then it is rare and should be treasured." Victor piped in.

"Kirova, all of the stories speak highly of Guardians who were bonded to their Moroi charges. They were always the best Guardians of their time. Surely-"

"You're all getting ahead of yourselves. You are speaking of century old stories. Surely you're not thinking that a bond would be worthy of keeping her here at the academy?"

"Kirova, my daughter is wild and insolent, but if you look at her marks in her novice classes, she is full of potential."

"Gee Mom, now I'm some sort of insolent heathen. Think much –"I interrupted.

"You're mother has been reassigned as Vasilissa sanctioned Guardian." Kirova said.

"Oh, so the great and wonderful Janine Hathaway, who abandoned her own daughter, is acceptable, but I'm not? How do you know she won't abandon Lissa as she did me?" I seethed. "I would never leave Lis-"

"Miss Hathaway, you are undisciplined and I don't care if you share a psychic bond with every Moroi in this school, you're done. All the raw potential you have was once worthy enough to let you slide by. I see now that only left you unruly. It is better to have no Guardian than it is to bestow a Moroi one that lacks discipline."

"Then teach her self-restraint. The year is just beginning, she has plenty of time to learn," Victor suggested.

"Even if I could find some poor soul to punish by giving them the job of taming Rosemarie Hathaway, she is still hopelessly behind the other students in her class. It would be impossible-"

"I'm not behind, I'm not. I kept training-"

"She can be given extra training." The unnamed Guardian spoke up again.

"Again, who would want the job?" Kirova asked pointedly to the Guardian, "You, perhaps?"

"Well I, uh, not necessarily me," the Guardian stammered.

"Exactly what I thought," Kirova said knowingly.

"I may have been absent, but you are still speaking of my daughter, Kirova." My mother stated in a stony voice. "Perhaps I could use my time here, to get to know Rose better. With her mother's influence, with my influence, I am sure she will improve."

"Guardian Hathaway, your reputation precedes you, but Rose's reputation-"

"My daughter, Kirova," my mother said icily.

"Even if I let her stay, am I supposed to let her go without some sort of punishment?" Kirova asked in disbelief.

"Find another way to punish her." Victor suggested.

"Guardian numbers are at an all-time low, especially females." The unnamed Guardian said. I think she was going to be my second best friend if I was able to get out of this mess.

"I agree with Guardian-" Victor began.

"Davis." The Guardian supplied.

"Yes, I agree with Guardian Davis. It would be an awful shame if you wasted the talent that Rose possesses." Victor continued. Kirova placed her head into her hands and took several deep breaths. When she lifted her head, she glanced at me and then Lissa.

"Ms. Kirova, could Rose please stay?" Lissa asked her as soon as she had Kirova's full attention. She was using compulsion. I hoped she knew to be very careful. There were too many people in this room that could witness the dangerous action.

Kirova threw her hands out and stormed behind her desk. "Oh fine. You all win, but there will be stipulations. Rose will not be allowed any social events outside of meals. That means unless you are in class or training, you will be staying inside your dorm. Disobey any of the rules I have set for you or any rule of this school and you are out, for good."

"No social events? Are you trying to keep me separated from Lissa? She's my best friend, my sister almost. Are you afraid we might try to run away again?" I asked.

"Actually, yes, and I will take every precaution to prevent that from ever happening again." Kirova said hard-heartedly.

"Kirova, if I may. Perhaps if Rose and I stayed in one of the smaller rooms in guest housing it would deter any acts of defiance. As for her interaction with Lissa, knowing her mother is always just a few feet away and listening, will keep them both in line." My mother asked, stressing the word listening. I balked and then smoothed my face when Kirova caught my expression and smiled.

"Fine, Rose can stay as long as she lives with her mother in guest housing and she will be limited only to social activities as long as you are with her Janine. You will also mentor your daughter, but the duties to your daughter cannot interfere with your duties as Vasilissa's Guardian. Am I clear?"

My mother readily agreed but I could not. "I'm not four; I don't need mommy to hold my hand." I snapped at Kirova.

"My offer is more than you could ever hope for. You will either accept it or you will leave." Kirova was not going to back down.

"Fine, I accept." I huffed and glared down at the floor. Truthfully, Kirova had caved a lot more than she really should have. I'm not sure if it was Lissa's compulsion or the fact that she had a roomful of people standing against her, but I would never get a better deal.


	6. Chapter 5

**Rose Hathaway**

Lissa and I followed my mother to Lissa's first class. After a quick hug, she disappeared through the door and my mother drug me to the gym for my first class.

"So, mom…" I began. Maybe if I buttered her up some she would go easy on me.

"Rosemarie, whatever you are about to complete that sentence with, don't. I am very angry and hurt by some of your comments back there." Her voice was flat, nearly monotone. She almost sounded hurt. How did she have a right to be hurt? Some of the Dhampir novices here had already lost their Dhampir parent. Not many of us knew our Moroi parent due to the fact that we were often conceived by adulteress liaisons and careless flings. The novices that still had a living Dhampir parent usually had daily phone calls and other forms of communication. Well, except for me. I usually received an email from my mother on holidays or the few times I had done something really stupid, like breaking Dawn Yarrow's arm in the ninth grade. I only saw her once every one to two years, and even then it was just for a couple of hours.

The academy was the only home I had ever truly known and its head Guardian, Alberta Petrova, was essentially the closest thing to a mother figure I had ever known. My mother was essentially a stranger to me and it left us with a very strained relationship when she did come around. Now it appeared that I was going to be stuck with her a good while.

"I just wanted to say thanks for standing up for me back there." I mumbled as I quickened my step to catch up to her. Her eyes slid in my direction as she opened the door to the gym. It was the only confirmation I had that she had heard me.

"Get inside, we will talk later." She said firmly.

Walking through the door, I glanced around at the still familiar faces I found there. Locating a mop of red hair, I jogged over to my one time good friend, Mason Ashford.

"….Kirova probably handed her, her ass." I heard someone mentioned as I came up behind them.

"Get your minds off my ass and stop your drooling. Do it on your own time." I grinned as they all turned to look at me in surprise. The novices nearby broke the silence as they began to snort and snicker.

"Hathaway! You're on my time, seeing as I am leading the class today." Mason beamed down at me.

"That makes it a perfect time to think of my ass then, Ducky." I retorted

"Anytime is a good time to think of your assets." The voice of the guy that had his back turned to me cut in. Looking up at him, I felt the rest of the tension fade away as we all broke down in laughter.

"Good to see you Castile." I said between breaths. Our laughter settled down and my near forgotten friends began questioning what I had been doing and where I had gone. Our reunion was busted up a few minutes later when I heard Alberta's voice carry across the gym, as she scolded Mason for neglecting his duties. Mason grinned and started explaining the exercises we would be practicing.

"Come on, you can be my partner. I want to see what you've learned during your prison escape." He said taking my arm and pulling me a little further away from the rest of the group.

An hour later, he crawled outside the taped boundary line, mock crying uncle. "What the hell have you been doing, Hathaway? That was just brutal." He groaned.

I grabbed his hand and hauled him off the floor. I caught my mom watching me from the corner of my eye. "Can't help that you can't compare to what I was born with." I told him, waving my arms up and down my body.

Mason groaned as he bent over putting his hands on his knees. "I hate you, right now." His muffled voice carried up.

"I bet you would hate me more if I held back." I chuckled.

"Yeah, I really would. You've gotten good Rose. You'll have to tell me where you've been training. I might need to take a vacation myself."

"You did good Mason. I still had to work at taking you down." I told him, rolling my eyes.

"I still just had a girl hand me my ass." He grimaced.

I laughed as we walked over to our gym bags, grabbing our water bottles. "So what are you doing after dinner tonight?"

"I have to train with my mother, Kirova's stipulation. They think that I am behind because I missed the last year."

"Yeah, well I don't think so. You think you'll be able to get out of it since you can take me? I am, uh, was head of the class since you left."

"Nah, Kirova is taking some sort of sick pleasure out of forcing me to be socially deprived. She knows I don't get along with my mother, so what better punishment than tying me to her hip?"

"Well, you've surpassed what we have been taught, so maybe your mom can actually teach you something. She's kind of a legend, after all."

"So everyone says." I said, frowning. "Well, the great and wonderful Janine Hathaway is waiting on me. I better hit the showers before anymore steam starts pouring from her head." I turned and walked away before he could say anything else.

As if my day of being shadowed by mother couldn't get any worse, I had Stan Alto as an instructor for my next class. We had a hate-hate you more type of relationship. It was a daily struggle to limit myself to only giving him silent looks of contempt during his class. Most days, I lost the battle and ended up in Kirova's office. Then again, maybe a year of not having to speak or look at one another lessened the hard feelings we shared, or not.

I took an aisle seat as my mother took a post near the door. When Stan walked in his eyes snapped to mine and with a look of mock surprise, he smiled at me. "Oh I didn't think we were going to have any guest speakers until next week. I see that Rose Hathaway has decided to take time away from her juvenile escapades in order to come share all her knowledge and wisdom with us. My, my, don't we all fell privileged." He sneered at me with the last sentence.

I felt an angry flush creep up my neck and over my face. Opening my mouth, just to snap it shut and bite the inside of my cheeks, I was able to stop myself from telling him to fuck off. I kept replaying Kirova's warning in my head, to try and ground myself and instead just kept my eyes locked with his. My face must have said what my mouth couldn't.

His smile grew even more sinister. "Get up, stand in the front of the room, and tell us Miss Hathaway of all that you have learned while you were off gallivanting around. Surely you have something to teach this class."

"Do you really want me to-"

"Yes, I do. I meant what I said. Now up you go Hathaway, I want to hear this." His taunting gave way to seriousness and the silent classroom began to feel even more silent. I looked back at my mother, but her face was as still and emotionless as the Mona Lisa. I stood from my seat, tossed my hair behind my shoulder, and strutted to the front of the room.

Stan came to stand next to me. "Well?" he questioned as I just looked about the room. I really didn't want to discuss my time away from the academy. I had done it for Lissa, and though I didn't regret the decision to leave, I still had regrets. Things that I wasn't really prepared to talk about yet. "Cat got your tongue? Why don't you start with telling us what sort of guarding techniques you used? Tell us how you protected the Princess."

"Techniques," I questioned him.

"Yes, Hathaway, since you have missed a year of your classes, please tell us what the Hathaway Technique you applied to protecting Moroi from Strigoi?"

"But-" I stammered. "It isn't like you try to teach us. There isn't Strigoi hiding around every corner or in every shadow."

"That is very obvious since you are standing here breathing and alive, Hathaway. Now for the last time, tell us how you were able to protect an underage Moroi Princess after you took her from the safety of this campus and exposed her to the constant the constant threat that Strigoi impose?"

I was beginning to think that Stan was the male Dhampir version of Kirova. I lowered my head and bit my lip as I tried to reel in my emotions before I exploded.

"My patience is growing thin, Miss Hathaway. You have three seconds-"

"Do you really want to know what it was like Stan?" I bit out before I could think. "Do you want to hear about how I was able to not only escape this campus, but was also able to escape, with Lissa, from psi-hounds not just once, but three times? Or, do you just want the boring details of what days I drug Lissa along while I went to various martial arts gyms and indoor tracks. I know, what you really want to know is how the first time we ran into Strigoi, I locked Lissa into the trunk of a car, only to have to crawl back to it thirty minutes later, bloody and near broken. How it took Lissa nearly three weeks to talk me into letting her outside again." Collective gasps fell from the classroom, but I couldn't face anyone. I kept my gaze on a blank space on the wall.

"Perhaps, you want me to skip all the details and list how many Strigoi I killed and how I did it. A simple, short and sweet list, should be enough for you? Shouldn't it? Maybe you're considering making me relive every single second of each and every one. Well I have news for you Guardian Alto, I do that every night. Every damn night, so you will need to come up with something else to punish and embarrass me with." My whole body was shaking. I felt someone grasp my shoulders with a gentle yet firm hold as my world began to blur. I could vaguely hear Stan urging me to go with my mother. It wasn't until I turned toward the hand that rested on my back that I began blinking to bring them into focus, that I realized I was crying.

I let my mother lead me out of the room and to her room to one of the Guardian Lounges. Her head only came to my shoulder, but she still took most of my weight. It felt nice to finally experience the strength of my mother in a way I had craved for years. She settled us onto a small sofa, and wrapping her arms around me, hugged me against her. For nearly an hour she sat soothing me as my body wracked with sob after sob. It felt good to cry, I rarely did. With each sob, each stroke of her hand on my back, I felt all the sadness, hate, and fear that the last two years had instilled in me slip away.

When my sobs slowed and my breathing leveled, I pulled away from my mother looking into her face. Gone was the Guardian mask. Instead, her face was etched with sorrow and concern. She wiped the last of my tears from my face with an understanding smile.

"The first time I killed a Strigoi was in Italy. I was on leave and had decided that I wanted to spend the summer traveling. I had met a rich Moroi and I ended up letting him talk me into attending a festival with him that night. He was walking me back to my hotel, along with his Guardians. There were four of us all together, three Dhampir and the Moroi. As we passed an alley way, a Strigoi jumped out of the shadows. Ibrahim's near guard went on the attack, I ran to help. It was a foolish thing to do. Ibrahim's far guard was still a good ten feet away, but it was also a good thing too. It wasn't just the single Strigoi, but three of them. The two males were in combat with Pavel and the female was slowly slipping up behind him. I knew that if I didn't do anything, it would end badly for Pavel and he was young. My age at the time, and like all freshly promised Guardians, we were cocky. I slipped passed the two males and blocked the path of the female. She was strong and fast. I never realized just how much weaker we truly are than the Strigoi until that first battle. I was able to wrestle her to the ground and stake her. Pavel had staked one of the two males so I ran to help him with the last. I was able to distract him long enough for Pavel to drive his stake home."

Her voice was soft; her eyes glazed as she was lost in her memories. "When it was all over, we ended up going to Ibrahim's hotel, it was closer than mine. He held me against his side as I cried the whole way there. I fell asleep leaning into his arms as I sat in his hotel room. He had tucked me into his bed at some point and had joined his Guardians in the sitting room. I awoke a couple hours later to the nightmares that came. I spent the rest of the night sitting at the small dining table matching Pavel shot for shot of some horrible Turkish whiskey." Her hands lifted and wrapped around mine. "I understand Rosemarie. I understand, and I am sorrier than you will ever know, that you suffered that alone."

I nodded my head in acceptance. My throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton and I couldn't find the words to express my gratefulness of her words. After a few moments of comfortable silence, my mother stood and with one last gentle squeeze of my hand, helped me stand. "It's nearly lunch now, why don't we go find Lissa. Every girl needs her best friend to help her cheer up now and again." Her words were kind, but I had a feeling she had just shown more emotion in the last two hours than she had ever done in the near forty years she had been on earth. It was funny how even though I felt lightened by our sharing of stories, it still left an air of heaviness around us. She too, needed to escape and let her emotions settle.

We were walking through towards the cafeteria when I felt Lissa grow more anxious than she had been all day. I was about to run to her, when my mother laid her hand on my arm. "I'm going to trust you not to do anything. I am going to trust you, so I can give you a few moments of privacy with Princess Vasilissa while I go speak with Alberta about my shifts." I nodded my head and gave her my promise to behave. She broke away from me to head to Guardian Petrov's office and I made my way towards Lissa.

I drew close to her without her notice or notice of those around her. Aaron and his little doll girl had her cornered against the water fountain. Just as I came to stand behind Mia, I caught the tail end of their conversation.

"You would think that a Dragomir would have higher standards than second hand clothes from Goodwill."

Tapping Mia on her shoulder, I smiled as she jumped slightly. She spun around quickly, her eyes growing wide. Good, she knew of my reputation and had enough sense to fear what my reaction would be. "Her standards are higher than yours and that is why this conversation is over. Now, skedaddle, Doll Girl, back to the elementary before they notice you're missing." I cooed at her, as you would a child.

Her face flushed and her fist balled in anger. "Hit me little girl and I will prove all the questions floating in the tiny little head of yours is true." I patted her ringlet covered head.

"Don't touch me. Don't touch me ever again or I'll-"

"I said we are done here; now go before I leave a mark on your pretty little unblemished face." I said as I lowered my face down even with hers. Mia growled and after a moment unlocked her eyes away from mine. Grabbing Aaron's arm, she stomped off dragging him behind her.

I glanced around the commons, sighing in relief as I noticed we hadn't drawn too much attention to ourselves. Lissa's grew less anxious after they walked off so I coaxed her into going to grab lunch before there wasn't any food left. She agreed as long as we could stop by the feeders first.


	7. Chapter 6

**Dimitri Belikov**

Guardian Petrova was explaining that she wanted me to face off against her, showing her which techniques I knew as she called them out. It sounded simple enough. We had just begun when a deafening silence fell over the gym. We both paused mid-strike as we watched as the smiling Hathaway girl jogged across the gym to the red headed guy that Guardian Petrova had put in charge of the other novices. After a few minutes of lewd bantering, Guardian Petrova yelled at Novice Ashford and returned her attention to us. She would call out a maneuver she wanted us to do, enact it, and then slide her eyes to watch the Hathaway girl. I had to admit, the girl was putting Ashford to shame.

We began watching their sparring more than we were walking through our own observations. Guardian Petrova locked eyes with an older auburn haired Guardian and a few seconds of silent communication passed between them. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to her assessment of me.

"You've surpassed most of the students here. You know quite a few techniques we haven't even taught yet. I'd like you to rotate between the other Novices during sparring. It will do them some good. You went to St. Basil academy?" she spoke as we finished up.

"Yes ma'am" I answered.

"Goodness, so polite. Novice Belikov, I believe you will be a breath of fresh air to these parts." She offered a small appreciative smile. "Anyways, what type of training schedule did you keep at your old school?"

I told her that we pretty much had the same schedule as I had now, but I had signed up for a mentoring session the previous year. I spent six weeks tutoring for an extra two hours a day under Guardian Galina. After the tutoring was over, I missed the extra workouts and so conned my sister into training with me before and after classes. Guardian Galina had seen our extra practices, and when she didn't have extra duties, she would often join us until her reassignment in Prague.

"Ah that would explain then. Tell me more about the mentoring sessions and how they worked? I would normally get in contact with the school, but under the circumstances, I think I will only need what you can remember of it. It is something that isn't really done here, unless there is need, but I feel it may be something we could benefit from here."

"Well in Russia, our junior year we can choose to enter the program. We just put our name on a roster and they will assign us a Guardian that will give us one on one training sessions. The one on ones are usually much more intense and it makes it easier to learn."

"Why just your junior year, wouldn't they be beneficial your senior year too," she asked as I paused trying to think of what to say next.

"Well, no for a couple of reasons. There wouldn't be enough Guardians to cover both juniors and seniors. The other reason is that in Russia, Dhampir Novices do not have an extracurricular like I do here. Instead we have one hour mini field experiences as our last class. They help prepare us for the actual field experience and the trials in the spring." I answered as best as I could. Guardian Petrova made a small throaty sound and cast a contemplative look about the gym.

"I think I will need to discuss this more at a later time. It's about time we wrap up here. Thank you for being so forthcoming. If you have any questions or concern of your own, I'm usually around here somewhere. I have your sister in my next class I do believe. She would normally be receiving mentoring this year, right?" I nodded my head in affirmation. "I will see what I can do to secure her a mentor here for now."

"It's okay, I mean, it will be okay if you can't. We plan on keeping up with our extra training before and after classes. That alone should keep us both pretty much up to par with our training." I told her. I really didn't want to lose the extra time I would get with Vika. I hadn't made any friends yet and she was the only family I had near. Guardian Petrova gave me one last smile and excusing herself she walked over to speak with the auburn haired Guardian that came in with the Hathaway girl.

Studying the older Dhampir woman, I saw that she held a lot of physical resemblance with the Hathaway novice. If she was another three inches taller and had dark eyes and dark hair, they would be near identical. I assumed they must be related and seeing that the gym was becoming empty, picked up my gym bag and headed to the showers.

Using the map, I found my way to my second class of the day.

Guardian Protection Theory, Instructor-Guardian Stan Alto

I was one of the first to enter the room, and grabbed a seat in the far back corner. One because my height could be hindering to anyone sitting behind me, and two, I really didn't want to become a speculation as the new kid. The room filled slowly, the last to enter was the Hathaway girl and her older loo-a-like Guardian that had been shadowing her earlier. I watched as she lifted her head slightly and made her way to an aisle seat halfway down the room.

Her dark hair was still slightly damp from her shower and framed her face, keeping it just out of view. From the back it flowed down, stopping just before the gentle curve of her lower back. Lowering my eyes, I took in her bottom and long legs, starting to understand the lewd joking the Rose Gang had partaken of in the gym. Feeling my male hormones kick in, I quickly adverted my gaze to the front of the room. I began searching for the teacher, but failed to find anyone at the board or desk, when I caught movement from the corner of my eye.

A muscular Dhampir, just a few inches shorter than me was slowly walking down the aisle of the room. He came to a stop beside the Hathaway girl, turning and leering down at her. The Hathaway girl met his gaze with her own look of contempt before looking back at her Guardian shadow.

The exchange between the mentor and novice was tense and when the Hathaway girl stood and sauntered to the front of the room, I couldn't help but to stare at the way he hips swayed in perfect rhythm to the beat of my heart. When she turned around, her face full of embarrassment, I thought that perhaps I had been wrongfully judging the defiant deity that was Rosemarie Hathaway.

With the first real view of her heart shaped face, I took in her exotic doe eyes, nearly as dark as the curtain of hair framing her face. Her high cheekbones were flushed rose with embarrassment and anger. She had a fitting button nose, and her top lip was a little thinner than the bottom. Taking in her entire face at once, the girl was beautiful.

Feeling my pants tighten at my pelvis, I looked towards the instructor, hoping that in tearing my gaze away from the tantalizing creature at the front of the room, would calm my mind of where my thoughts were heading. Realizing I had been staring at Rosemarie for too long and tuned out everything that had happened in the last few minutes, I straightened up in my desk as the rest of the room, Guardians included, gasped. Really listening for the first time, Rosemarie was furiously yelling up at Guardian Alto about psi-hounds and Strigoi. Her words spat between clenched teeth. It was the way the light shimmered from her hair with each of her jerky, yet fluid motions that pulled my attention away from the words she spoke. She had pushed her hair behind her shoulders, and her neck was flushed a healthy pink once again. Following the vein that was prominent in the side of her neck from her strained anger, I found that her lovely face was a storm of emotions. Seeing that tears were now trailing her cheeks, I fisted my hands under my desk.

I wanted to go to the girl and pull her into my chest and just hold her. I felt my thigh twitch, readying to move when Rosemarie's Guardian shadow flew down the slanted aisle and took hold of the girl's hand. Laying her other hand on the girl's back, the Guardian tried to coax the girl out of the spotlight.

"I'm sorry, so, so sorry, Rose. Please go with your mother now. It's okay Rose, you are okay. I am sorry I pushed you so hard. If I had known, Guardian Hathaway, I think she is about to pass out." Guardian Alto's voice carried fear and sorrow. His face was deeply troubled as understanding overcame him. "Rose, please go with your mother, she can help you. Dear God, what did those girls go through, Janine?" He continued. So the shadow was her mother. That explained the strong physical resemblance.

"Rose, baby, come with me, we'll get you through this. Stan, I can't believe..." her words cut off as Guardian grabbed the girls shoulders and slightly shook her.

"Rose, that's it, look at me. Go with your mother, she's going to take you somewhere with less of an audience. Yes that's it." He coaxed as the girl turned her head to Guardian Hathaway and with a shuddering sob, fell into her mother's side.

When the pair had left the room, the door shutting softly behind them, Guardian Alto looked at us for the first time since class began. "Just read something out of the texts books, write a report on it. I have something I need to do. There will still be Guardians here to watch over you, so no funny ideas. Oh, and someone explain to the new student where we are in our lessons. I'll return shortly." Guardian pulled out his phone and dashing through the classroom, I heard one raspy word as he exited the doors. "Alberta…"

The room then one by one searched the room, their gazes falling and stopping on me.

"New blood!" I heard someone exclaim and shrugged my shoulders. The Dhampir in front of me turned and gave me a curious smile.

"Armand Evers." He says with a wave. "Everyone just calls me Monty, though."

"Dimitri Belikov." I answered loud enough that the entire room could hear me. I didn't really want to repeat my name a dozen times. The attention to me faded quickly as everyone began talking about Rosemarie. Rose, as she preferred to be called, had left the class in shocked silence. With her gone and the teacher away, the shock was wearing off, and in its place a tizzy of conversation was struck up.

Novices began gossiping and betting on things Rose may or may have not done while away from the academy. I listened getting angrier and angrier at the immaturity that some of the other novices were showing. I looked to all of the Guardians left in the room, and found that though their faces stayed a stoic blankness, their muscles flexed under their shirts.

"I'll take that bet. I'm going to go with four Strigoi but only two Psi-hounds." A dirty blond haired boy called out.

"Nah, were talking Hathaway. I bet $10.00 that she killed no less than five Strigoi. Didn't you listen, she didn't kill the Psi-hounds, just escaped them. So yeah, my money goes on five Strigoi and no Psi-hounds." A male novice with dark skin and hair countered.

On and on their ridiculous betting went. Even worse was the gossip that was beginning. They began to wonder how the girls got money to pay for their housing, the gyms, and food. Someone even brought up the subject of Vasilissa needing blood.

"With a body like that, she was probably a stripper. Most likely she lured drunken men back to a private room and an awaiting Lissa." A mousey haired female novice suggested, laughing darkly. The jealousy in her eyes spoke volumes.

I felt even more sympathy for the girl the more the other students talked.

"Don't you have to be over eighteen to be a stripper, Connie?" Castile asked his face masked in pure hatred for the mousey haired girl.

"I wouldn't know. Hell she probably blood whored for some old no name Moroi in exchange for Lissa a feeder."

"Look I've known Rose since we were in preschool, she is not a blood whore and if I ever hear you call her that again..." Castile spat at the girl.

"You'll what? Pull a Hathaway and break one of my bones? It's not my fault your girlfriend is nothing more than a two bit blood whore," the girl yelled back. My mind settled on the disappointing news that Rose was already taken before settling on the next few words as the fell from her mouth.

"You guys are cruel. What do any of you truly know of killing Strigoi or even of blood whores? Maybe you should take a look in the mirror and step outside of your glass walls before throwing stones. Could none of you besides Castile see how devastated she was?" I said as calmly as possible before grabbing my books and leaving the classroom.

I found a bench near the cafeteria doors and waited for Vika as visions of Rosemarie Hathaway played in my mind. Rose was a beautiful in her fiery anger, a siren that stole all of your senses in her sadness, but I wondered what she would look like with a smile on her face. I began day dreaming of seeing Rose, standing in the courtyard, her mahogany hair streaked red from the sun, and smiling up to me.

I felt something jab into my ribs and opened my eyes to find Vika looking down at me laughing. "What has you smiling so much?" Her voice laced with curious laughter. With a groan, I stood and walked into the cafeteria leaving her to either follow me or be left behind.


	8. Chapter7

**Rose Hathaway**

The feeders weren't overly busy and Lissa was able to get right in. I didn't really care for watching her feed, so went to the waiting area instead. About ten minutes later Lissa came wandering out, looking healthier than I had seen her in months.

"You look good Liss." I said smiling at her. "You feel better too." Lissa gave me a sidelong glance and I mumbled a sorry. I was trying not to use the bond to much while we were out in public.

"I really do." Lissa said after a moment. "I went through three feeders." She added guiltily. She knew that how I felt about feeding. It is one of the reasons we went two or three days between feedings while we were away. That and the fact that I didn't want to grow addicted to it.

We made our way to the cafeteria for lunch, Lissa telling me about some of the funnier things that the feeders had told her about their lives. I pretended to be interested, as I looked around at the people we passed. They were all in small groups talking, but would pause and watch as Lissa and I passed by. Both Lissa's and my anxiety started growing.

"It's okay Liss; I think it's about me this time. I had a meltdown in Stan's class."

"Oh. What did you do to piss him off this time?" she asked as a smile spread across my face, but faded when she saw my expression.

"It wasn't that kind of meltdown. He kept pushing me and I snapped. I blurted out some things that had happened while we were away." I told her honestly.

"You didn't tell about the…"

"No, I didn't tell them about that. They know about the Psi-hounds and that I killed at least one Strigoi, though." I said as we neared the cafeteria door. The cafeteria was its usual noisy and chaotic self, until people began noticing that we now walked through. With each table we passed, the room grew more and more quiet.

"Lissa, Lissa," a voice called out. I saw fast movement to my right and automatically launched myself into a defensive stance in front of Lissa, a growl of warning escaping my lips. Natalie, Victor Dashkov's daughter, slowed her steps and approached us carefully.

"Sorry, Nat, it's just habit nowadays," I explained.

"Oh, it's okay. I understand." She said, though I doubted she really did. She then launched into quick, rambling sentences as she followed us through the lunch line. I tuned her out and started piling my tray with food. I looked back and saw Lissa's tray was still empty, so added a bowl of yogurt and some berries to it."…anyways, I just wanted to let you know, that if you wanted to, you could sit with my friends and I today." Natalie said, finally getting to the point.

Lissa looked at me, asking through the bond to agree with it. I gave a small shrug and followed them both towards Natalie's table of friends. I had just sat my tray down and was pulling out my chair, when I felt a set of arms go around my waist. Before I could spin out of their hold, I felt lips against my ear.

"Hey there Rose, glad you're back. Things were awfully dull while you were gone." Jesse Zeklos murmured against my ear. Jesse was crude, but was also the obsession of a lot of girls' wet dreams. He was just over six feet tall with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. I turned my face towards him and smiled right before I jabbed my elbow into his side.

"Hands off the merchandise, Zeklos," I admonished him. Jesse backed away a couple feet and held his hands up in surrender.

"So the rumors are true then?" He asked, his eyes lighting up. I really wasn't sure what he was talking about. I was sure there were probably over half a dozen rumors racing around the school about me though.

"All rumors have some basic truth to them, Jesse." I said sarcastically. "What do you want, anyhow?"

"Just wanting to invite you to a party in the Royal Moroi lounge tonight, it'll be fun."

"I'm under lock and key, but I'll see what I can do." I smiled at him. I probably shouldn't attempt any party going right now, but after today, a few drinks wouldn't hurt.

Jesse walked off and I took my seat, answering Lissa's stare with a shrug. I ate in silence as Natalie launched into another round of nonstop chatting with the other girls. I started replaying the story my mother had told me of her first Strigoi kill. My mother never really took a vacation leave, at least not as long as I could remember. Maybe what happened in Italy was why she was afraid to do so now. No, that couldn't be it. My mother sported not only eight Molnija marks, but also two Zvezda marks. It had to be something different.

I replayed the story over and over in my mind, each time a new word would stick with me. Italy, Strigoi, Ibrahim, Pavel, and then it hit me, Turkish Whiskey. She said she and Pavel drank Turkish whiskey. Was Ibrahim Turkish? My mother had said once before that my almond complexion and my dark hair and eyes came from my Turkish Moroi father.

"Rose, are you okay?" Lissa asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, I just remembered something I needed to ask my mom. Will you be okay if I go search her out?"

"Yeah, Nat shares the next class with us so I'll just walk with her." With Lissa feeling safe with my choice, I dumped my tray and headed toward Alberta's office. I knocked on the door and peeped inside to find it empty. I decided that maybe she was at Guardian Housing. We were supposed to be getting a room in Guest Housing, so maybe she was gathering her things.

I wandered in and was stopped by a Guardian in charge near the door. I explained that I was looking for my mother, but he assured me she wasn't there and that she had already moved into Guest Housing. I was already tiring of the goose chase and decided to head on to my next class. My mother knew my schedule and I was sure she would appear at some point. Why find her, when she would find me?

I caught up to Lissa and Natalie halfway across the commons. Lissa asked if I had found my mom and after my answering no, she launched back into conversation with Natalie. Apparently a lot had happened in the year we were gone. I trudged along behind them half listening as thoughts that maybe I finally had a name for my Moroi father.

I didn't see my mother in any of my afternoon classes. I shrugged it off; figuring she probably had a guarding shift. That was what she said she was going to talk to Alberta about. I was exhausted by the time we were released from our last class.

"Jesse Zeklos invited you the party tonight. I wonder if Ray is going to be there too. They are good friends after all. I wonder if I should go, but if I went, I wouldn't know what to wear. Maybe I shouldn't go. It's not like he ever notices me anyways. Rose, do you think you will go? Lissa said she is going to. It's a Royal party after all. She has to keep up appearances as a Dragomir Royal." Natalie's sentences ran on, not allowing for an answer before she launched her next thought aloud. She finally paused for a breath.

"I don't know. Kirova has a stiff no social life clause as part of my being allowed back at school. I'll see what I can do though." I placated her. Truthfully I wanted to go, but I was beginning to think that not having a social life might do me some good.

"I heard that the new kids from Russia are going to be there. Well the girl is at least. I'm not sure about her brother. Have you seen him yet? Oh my God, he is a dream. They're Dhampir, I can't remember his name, but his sister is named Viktoria. If you see him, you will know exactly who I am talking about. He's huge, taller than most Moroi around here. If I knew Daddy wouldn't be upset with me, I would stop pining after Ray and try my chances for the Russian God. That is what people are starting to call him." Natalie was rambling again. Didn't she ever need to breathe?

I was just about to hug Lissa bye, when my phone alerted me to a text. Pulling it out of my pocket, I found two words from my mother.

You're late

Shaking my head, I told Lissa I'd catch up later and headed to the gym. I walked in to find my mom in a pair of yoga pants and a fitted t-shirt. For thirty-eight years old, I had to admit, she was more fit than most twenty year old humans. I hoped I still looked as good when I got old.

She was sitting in the middle of the gym, stretching out. I dropped my bag near the door and walked over, joining her.

"Hey mom," I questioned, carefully looking into her face to see her reaction to my next question. "I know it was sort of a passing moment, but I had a question about earlier today." She paused in her stretches and sat up straight.

"If I can answer it, sure, go ahead."

"Well, I understand now and I'm starting to forgive you, but you said you were on leave, vacationing in Italy when you killed your first Strigoi." I hesitated, waiting to see if she reacted badly. At her nod, I continued on. "Well I don't ever remember you mention taking a leave or going on vacation before. I know you haven't in the last two years. Is what happened in Turkey part of why you don't?" I asked

"Well yes and no." She began to answer my question, but then her face softened. "It's been hard on you, not getting to see me often, hasn't it?" She asked her own question. I shrugged not really committing to an answer either way. "I thought I was doing well by trying to keep you from getting too attached. You know, in case one day I wouldn't be able to come. I think I made us both suffer too much from that decision."

I was a bit taken back from her admission. I still wanted to ask about Ibrahim, but decided to not ruin the moment just yet. I never knew my mother to be so open and caring. I blinked away and completed another set of stretching. When I looked back at my mom, she smiled and cocking her head towards the door said, "Come on, let's go run. It does wonders when you need to settle your mind. You're eyes tell me something is troubling you. When you're ready to talk, I'll be here, if you need me."

We made four laps on around the track together. I was about to ask throw caution out and ask my mother the question that was weighing me down, when I saw a dark haired girl enter the track and begin running. "Bet you can't catch me Dimka!" She called out over her shoulder towards the gym. It was then that I noticed a really tall, dark haired boy jogging up from behind her. With a thought of, who would name their son Dimka, I turned my attention back to keeping pace with my mother.

After another eight laps my mom slowed down and jogged into the open field in the middle of the track. "Weights or Sparring?" she asked me. Honestly I was too tired for either one. "You'll feel worse come tomorrow, trust me, I'm going easy on you by giving you a choice of the two. I could just make you do both."

I knew I was ready to ask her about Ibrahim, but the thought of her allowing a hundred plus pounds to crash on my chest didn't seem ideal. "Sparring, but can we get some water first?" I said. Hoping that maybe I could block most of her hits. We ran over to the drinking fountain and refilled our water bottles. I took long sips as we walked back towards the field.

"Spit it out Rose." I think we've been waiting long enough for whatever is really on your mind." My mother said without ever looking at me.

"Is-was Ibrahim my father?" I near whispered. My mother flinched back. Maybe I was wrong, I shouldn't have asked, or maybe I should have worded the question differently.

"Rose, it would be better if we didn't discuss your father. It's complicated, you know that."

"Mom, I just want to know. I don't mean to upset you. Could you at least tell me if he is still alive?"

"Yes, Rose, your father is still alive. Come on; let's get the sparring over with. I'm about ready for a shower and a hot meal." Her face went back to her usual Guardian expression.

My mind was preoccupied and she was able to pin me in a matter of minutes. She chastised me to clear my head and get it into the fight. I was able to concentrate on blocking her quick jabs and kicks for a little longer the second time around.

"If I give you something, will you let it rest for now?" My mother asked, giving up after she pinned me for the third time in less than ten minutes.

"Yes."

"When I met your father, it was love at first sight. We loved each other more than anything in this world, but he is a business man that deals in things that really push the boundary of legality. When I discovered I was pregnant with you, we both thought it would be best if you grew up without him in your life. It was a hard decision. One that has hurt all of us in some way, but because of his shady business dealings, it is safer that you do not know one another."

She had never really explained why my father was absent. I had always assumed it was for the same reason that many Moroi fathers weren't part of their Dhampir children's lives. I never expected her to tell me they had loved one another. It was a bittersweet knowing that I would not learn my father's name, but that I was created from love and not a result of some one night stand or worse.

Accepting that I would get nothing more, I pushed it from my mind and crouched down, ready for the first time to spar. My mother was good. I really had to work at blocking her offensive attacks. Just when I was beginning to learn a few of her tells I was pulled into Lissa's head. Not a good time, Liss, I thought.

Lissa was back in the church attic, I knew by the window above her head. She visited there often before we left the academy when she was missing her parents and brother. I felt her jerk, and we were suddenly spinning around coming eye to eye with Christian Ozera.

I was pulled roughly from her head, as I felt something hard meet and bounce off my eye. Wincing and yelling "Ow" I brought my hand up to cover the watering traitor and looked at my mother's horror stricken face.

"Oh my God, Rose, are you okay? What happened? You were blocking so well, and I realized too late to pull back that your mind had wandered off again. I am so sorry." She said as she pulled my hand away and looking at my eye. Her eyes narrowed in concern. "It's already bruising; we better get ice on it."

As I followed her off the field, I glanced around with my one good eye and saw that no one had seen except the two dark haired strangers. Well there goes getting out of this with one less rumor. Of course, I guess walking around sporting a black eye wouldn't really help either.

Remembering the real reason why I had earned a punch to my face, I made a note to myself to tell Lissa to stay away from Christian Ozera. He was a loner and watched everyone with a strange stare of disinterest. More than that though, both of his parents had chosen to turn Strigoi. He always looked angry and depressed. I was scared one day he would go off the deep end and follow his parents' footsteps. Lissa didn't need to get mixed up with someone like that.

My mother led me into our new home and I settled in a chair as she brought me an ice pack from the freezer. I placed it over my eye and tried to enter Lissa's head again. I slipped in without much trouble.

"I'm not joking," An angry Lissa snapped at him. What had I missed? "I just want to be alone."

"Why, I enjoy a good pity party. What are we going to wallow in self-loathing about first? Loss of popularity, or I know, the shirt you wanted was sold out when you went to order it?" Christian asked as he leaned against the slanted wall. He looked pretty calm, so why was Lissa so angry?

"Just leave me alone. Either leave or let me leave." She said, pushing past him.

"Hey, wait. Can you answer one question, please?" His use of the please stopped Lissa in her tracks, piquing her curiosity. "What was it like, out there, away from the academy?"

Don't talk to him about that Lissa. You can't lie very well and I am sure he has heard the rumors. "It was great, full of rainbows and unicorns." She said sarcastically. Good job, Lissa! I thought. He was beginning to piss her off again with his haughty expression at her reply.

Turning to leave again, he stopped her once more. "Will you at least answer one question truthfully?"

"What is it this time?" came her snarky answer.

"Of all the rumors, and there are a lot of them. Especially about your cohort, one hasn't been spoken of as much. How exactly did you feed out there?" he inquired. Lissa didn't answer, instead turning her gaze to the floor.

"It was Rose, wasn't it?" He sounded almost sad. Lissa blanched, ready to deny his assumption. "Don't worry about it. My aunt raised me around humans. I know it isn't easy to acquire a feeder." Lissa still kept her gaze turned away from him.

"Please, you can't tell anyone." She begged him.

"Look, your secret is safe with me. I don't have anyone I could tell. I'm the academy's black sheep remember? Eternally shunned because of what my parents did and all." He gave a dark laugh and stood aside to let her by.

I was shaken from the vision. "Rose? Rosemarie?" my mother was calling out. "Are you okay? I didn't think I hit you that hard."

"Mom no, I mean I'm fine. Really I am. I was just in Lissa's head."

"What are you- in her head? What do you mean?"

"It's a thing with the bond. When she gets real emotional she sucks me right in. It's what happened on the field. It's why I didn't see your fist flying at me."

"Are you okay now? Is she okay?"

"Yeah she's fine. We're both fine."

My mother watched me for a few moments longer and when I didn't make a move to talk she stood up and walked into the small kitchenette. "I hope you like canned soup. Otherwise, we will have to go to the cafeteria for dinner. I figured we could eat here tonight. Give that ice some time to work some magic on your eye." She called out. I almost told her to just call or go get Lissa, but realizing I had already slipped and told her more than I should about the bond, I told her anything would be good and clamped my mouth shut.


	9. Chapter 8

**Dimitri Belikov**

"So, you know those two girls everyone is talking about?" Vika asked as she caught up to, sitting her tray on the table. "The ones that ran away?" she needlessly clarified. "People are saying she killed Strigoi and a pack of Psi-hounds while they were among the humans."

"Vika, you should know better than to listen to gossip." I warned her, as I brought a spoonful of Chili to my mouth.

"Her name is Rose something. They say she can be a real bitch. Right before they ran away, she went crazy and completely destroyed an entire room because she got mad at some Moroi. I overheard a group of Moroi in the hallway earlier…"

"Vika, why do you even care? We are here to train, graduate, and hopefully find good charges. You shouldn't waste your time on their gossips and problems." I chastised her. I had heard the story, well parts of it first hand, and it was nothing like people were making it out to be. The memory of Rose being led from the classroom in tears looking like a war torn soldier flickered in my mind. "It's better to not get close to anyone here. You most likely won't see them again after this year."

"Dimka, you can't expect me to go a whole year without friends." Her voice raised an octave in disbelief.

"By the time school starts next year, St Basil's will be rebuilt and you will be returning to Russia. I will have graduated and will be most likely guarding Ivan. Don't set yourself up for heartbreak, Vika. I'm not saying you have to be antisocial, but don't let them close to you. Don't get caught up in their lives. It will just make leaving even harder."

"I understand." Vika mumbled her face showed her disappointment.

"Hey, we will use the computer and call home before we go to practice. Seeing Momma and the others will cheer you up, aye?" I knew we were both beginning to miss home. Vika eyes brightened up and a big smile spread across her face.

"Sonja and Karolina are going to get a good laugh when I tell them that the girls around here have dubbed you 'the Russian God'." She laughed. "I think the boys are beginning to get jealous. You're stealing attention away from them. I bet it makes Nika…" Her words trailed off as the cafeteria began growing silent. Looking over her shoulder, I could see Rose and the princess were walking through. "It's so sad. The people are being so cruel. Maybe I should invite them to sit with us."

"Vika, remember, don't get caught up in their lives. Leave them be. Especially the Rose girl, they might be unfair to her, but she brought a lot of it on herself. She's trouble Viktoria. Trouble that you don't need to be caught up in," she gave the two girls one last sad look at my words and turned back to meal.

We finished our meal and as we were leaving, one of the school Guardians approached us. "Head Guardian Petrova would like for you to join her in Headmistress Kirova's office. I'm to lead you there." I gave Vika a questioning look, but her widened eyes and small shrug told me she had not done anything to warrant discipline. The headmistress welcomed us in with a sincere smile.

"Guardian Petrova, Guardian Hathaway, please meet Novices Dimitri and Viktoria Belikov." She said in introduction. "Please, take a seat." She waved towards a couple of empty chairs. "Guardian Petrova, now that they are here, please continue."

"Oh, yes. While I was assessing Novice Belikov, I realized he was months ahead of our students here at St. Vladimir's. Through our discussion, I have firm believe that Novice Belikova is just as advanced. St. Basil's Academy had a very interesting system in place. One that I think would benefit this school." Guardian Petrova began. My shoulders relaxed, knowing that neither of us was in trouble. The head guardian went on to explain how training at St Basil's worked.

"That seems like it would be a large undertaking. St Vladimir's is one of the larger schools, but even we don't have an endless supply of Guardians. Guardian numbers are dropping more and more every day. How did St. Basil's acquire enough Guardians to carry out that sort of training?" Headmistress Kirova turned her attention to me.

"Well, some of them traveled in a few times a week from nearby Dhampir Communities. It kept them up on their skills in conjunction with providing extra training for the novices." I said quietly. Headmistress Kirova's face turned to shocked disgust at the mention of Dhampir communities. They really weren't viewed all that well with most of our kind.

"Ellen, really, they aren't as bad as you lot make them out to be. I raised Rose in a Dhampir community for the first few years of her life. They aren't made up of just blood whores and Dhampir who are lucky enough to live long enough to retire. There are more respectable women than what you have been led to believe." Guardian Hathaway spoke in a cool even tone. I felt my respect grow for her with each word of defense she uttered and found myself nodding my head in agreement with her.

"Still not everyone is blessed with Ma…" Kirova began. Guardian Hathaway stood quickly from her chair.

"Remember your promise, Ellen." She said near threateningly as she peered at Vika and me from the corner of her eye. Headmistress Kirova cleared her throat and with dipped her head in apology. Weird, I thought. "Yes, I was lucky to have financial help; many of the Dhampir mother's actually receive small allotments from their Moroi partners. Those that don't will usually find very respectable ways to earn their living." Guardian Hathaway sat back down, but her words were still laced with a good bit of venom.

"That may be so, we are getting off topic. Even if we did hire out from these communities, how do you think parents would react to that, Moroi parents, especially?"

"A Guardian is a Guardian; there is no need to explain where they come from. It's not like they pay that close attention to faces that they will only see a few times a year anyhow." Guardian Petrova pointed out.

"How well did the Guardians from the communities do in their teachings?" Headmistress Kirova asked.

"Well, they're months ahead of the other students. How do you think they did?" Guardian Petrova answered the headmistress' question before I could. The headmistress nodded and then looked as if she was deep in thought.

"I will consider it then." She finally conceded to the room.

"If it helps any, the reason why so many Dhampir children attended St Basil's, was because of the employment of their parents. Though most of the girls did not receive their promise marks, they still came away with training." Vika piped in, giving them something else to think on.

"Yes, yes. That makes sense." Kirova noted the time and turned her gaze on us. "You'll be late for class. Let me give you a hall pass and you can go." She finished, giving us a small smile. I walked Vika to her class and after telling her I would see her later, I headed off to finish my afternoon schedule.

I met Vika in the commons area of the Novice dormitory and together we went to my room to call home. It was good to see my family's faces. Vika launched into detail about the Moroi Princess and the girl novice. My sisters ate up the gossip, looks of shock on their faces.

"The girl will have to battle darkness unknown to our time, but with the right friends, she will overcome." My babushka's voice spoke over the others. "I have seen it and it will be." She looked knowingly at us through the camera. My grandmother, Yeva, was nearing her mid-sixties and enjoyed bestowing cryptic messages of foretelling dreams she claimed to have had. She was much respected back home, and her words were never ignored. They always had a way of coming to be. Not really knowing what she spoke of, I thanked her and after saying our goodbyes, I closed my laptop.

Vika grabbed her gym bag, saying she had to run and go change and would meet me at the gym shortly. I stopped her and led her to the small bathroom attached to my room. "You have your own bathroom?" Her voice filled with envy and admiration. I smiled at her and gave her a push through the door. I sat at my desk and pondered my grandmother's words as I waited for her to finish so I could change my own clothes.

The gym was empty when we arrived. It was a big difference from St. Basil's. The gym there seemed to always be at least half filled back home. I led Vika through some stretches and running lines before heading out to the track.

"First one to the track gets half of the other's cookies Mamma is sending." Vika called out as she dashed forward. I began to follow her, but noticed Guardian Hathaway and her daughter already running laps. My steps slowed as I raked my eyes over Rose. Feeling my body begin to react, I shook my head and seeing that Vika was nearly to the track. I picked up my pace to rejoin her.

We had run half our laps, when I watched as the Hathaway paired slowed down and jogged into the field the track encircled. "She's very pretty." Vika said as she followed my gaze. I looked back at her trying to find an appropriate reply when her face lit up like it was Christmas. "They're going to spar. I wonder how good she is."

"Keep running Vika, we aren't done yet. We can watch them then." Bumping her shoulder and causing to stumble slightly sideways, I sped away from her, laughing. Vika yelled out behind me and I heard her pace pick up as well. I watched the mother daughter team from the corner of my eye.

Slowing to a jog so Vika could catch up, I saw Guardian Hathaway pin her daughter several times. It was as if the girl didn't know how to fight at all. Where was the feisty fighter I had seen in the gym? If she was already worn down from this morning's training, there was no way she could have killed a Strigoi. To think, I felt bad for the girl and even somewhat defended her in class. It looked like I had been made a fool. I had defended the girl against her own lies.

I finished my laps, without giving them another glance. I had taken some comfort in knowing that I wasn't the only student here that had killed Strigoi but loosing that common ground even if it was with a stranger made me miss my family and Ivan even more.

"….must have done some good. Look at them now." Vika broke through my thoughts.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Whatever the Guardian had said to her must have done some good. Rose is really putting up a fight now."

I glanced over and saw that Rose was blocking much better than before. Then without warning, Rose froze just as Guardian Hathaway sent a punch right towards her head. Vika gasped next to me, "That's going to hurt." She murmured. "I think she needs help with her technique. Maybe you could offer to help her out. You've done a good job with me."

"I don't think so Vika; her mother can probably teach her more than I could."

"Her mother," she questioned.

"Yeah, the woman she is sparring with is the Guardian you met in the headmistress' office. Guardian Hathaway is Rose's mother." I explained. Vika pursed her lips as she processed the new information.

"Well they've left the field so let's spar." She said coming out of her musings.

I nearly had Vika; I grabbed her arm, to spin her away from me so I could bring my practice stake to her chest. Instead I felt her hand dig into my forearm and she kept the spin going. Narrowing my eyes as I was about to admonish her for playing around, she quickly let go, the loss of her counterweight causing me to stumble. Before I could catch my balance, I felt as she landed on my back, legs wrapping around my waist, as her arm came around, landing her stake against my chest. "Dead," She crowed, as clapping began behind us.

I spun around, Vika still attached to my back. "Ivan!" her surprised yelp came. I grinned down at Ivan and tried to shake Vika off my back. The little fiend just held on tighter.

"Dimka, I didn't know that you were allowed to carry monkeys around at schools in America." Ivan greeted me laughing. He reached around as if he was going to hug me, but began tickling Vika's sides.

"No Ivan, don't, you'll make me pee." Vika thrashed in laughter.

"Zeklos if she pees down my back, we're trading clothes." I told him backing away. "How have you been? Did you have fun at Court with your parents?"

"Good and yes. I've just about talked them into letting me stay with my Uncle and finishing the school year out here in Montana." He looked like he had just won the lottery. "Well you little tree nymph, come down off that mountain and give me a proper hug." Vika giggled and I felt as she dropped from my back, before launching herself into Ivan's waiting arms.

"Ivan." I warned. He raised his eyebrows at me, letting go of Vika with one arm and guiding her back towards me. With one arm around each of our shoulders, he led us to an apartment in guest housing. His parents had decided that they would stay and tour the school for a week before making a final decision of whether he would stay or not.

"Ivan, there's word that there is a party in the Royal student lounge. Think you could sneak me in?" Vika said after we had finished dinner. Great, Ivan never turned a party down. I was hoping that Vika hadn't caught any talk of it. Ivan immediately jumped at the idea and before I knew it, we were heading off toward the Moroi dormitory.


	10. Chapter 9

**Rose Hathaway**

I was still upset with Lissa over the whole Christian Ozera thing, but it did give me an idea. It had me willingly knocking on Kirova's door the next day.

With my mother shadowing me, I marched to Kirova's office after my last class. The door was open so I didn't bother with knocking. She raised her eyes from the paperwork she had been reading over, looking very annoyed to see me.

"Oh hey, Kiro….Ms. Kirova, does the ban on my social life extend to attending church?"

"What are you getting at Hathaway?" She sighed in resignation.

"Can I attend church on Sundays? I didn't know if it would be considered a social event or not. I was hoping it wouldn't be because it would be unfair to deny me my religious needs."

She removed her glasses, allowing them to dangle from the chain around her neck, and narrowed her eyes at me. "I did not know you were a religious person, Miss Hathaway."

"Lissa made me attend while we were away and I found Jesus." I told her, trying to morph my face into one of innocence.

"Doesn't your mother practice Atheism?" She scoffed at me.

"Actually, Ellen, I am Catholic but choose to not attend services." Janine said finally walking through the door.

"Plus my dad is most likely Muslim or even a Buddhist for all I know. So, even if she was an Atheist, I'm old enough to choose my own path. I chose Jesus; please don't take him away from me too?" I saw my mother choke on her own breath in my peripheral vision.

Kirova sounded like a frog was trying to escape her throat. "Very well Ms. Hathaway, you may attend Sunday services."

I was surprised at how quickly I had won Kirova over. I happily skipped behind my mother to the gym. My happiness died two days later when I was reminded just how boring church could be. The only good thing was I did get to sit by Lissa. I spent most of the service looking around at all the people. Christian was sitting across the aisle from us looking very holy. My mother, thinking this was part of some sort of plan to rebel was lurking in the shadows in the back. There was a set of new faces I had only seen in passing.

I was happy to study them. Their faces similar in features, you could tell they were brother and sister. They both were beautiful with their dark brown hair and chestnut eyes. They didn't seem to notice I was watching them, so I continued staring for a while. I found the boy much more interesting than the girl. Although his face was clean shaven, his hair fell to his chin, framing his face. His eyes were slightly narrow, but not in a squinty way. His face was masculine with a chiseled chin and perfectly pointed nose. He was hot, hotter than Jesse Zeklos by far.

I noticed that like me, he did not take communion. As a matter of fact, I think like me he wasn't really even listening to the sermon. His eyes flickered to mine as if he knew I was studying him. I quickly turned around and staring at my hands in my lap, I tuned in and out to the rest of service.

The priest was going on about St Vladimir and how he was full of spirit. "He was so filled with Spirit that people would flock to his side to listen to his teachings. Even with claims in the old texts that he could heal the sick, he was often mocked by people calling him confused and misguided." Great in another word St Vladimir was just some insane Moroi. "And it was Shadow-kissed Anna that was always found at his side."

Shadow-kissed, I had heard that before but I couldn't place it. The words resonated with me and I hoped that the priest would talk more on the subject. Instead he had finished the sermon and had moved on to the last part of the service. After the last prayer was said and we were excused to leave, I told Lissa to wait for me and made my way to the front of the church.

The priest greeted me with a small smile as he asked if he could help me. I questioned why Anna was always called Shadow-kissed. He assumed it was a title given to her because of her personality, as was custom with the times.

"So who was she exactly?" I asked him. He furrowed his brows in annoyance, claiming he had spoken about her often. After a few more questions he grew more disapproving and asked me to wait for a moment. He disappeared into the attic and returned moments later with a book on Moroi Saints. I took the book, scowling, and walked away.

I caught up to Lissa just inside the doorway. She was talking happily with Aaron. I walked over and she turned in my direction, pulling me into their conversation. "Rose, you'll never believe what I've found out. Do you remember Xander and Abby Badica? Their Guardian wants to resign and marry another Guardian. Can you believe it?"

Oh, finally, some scandalous gossip. This is what I lived for. "You're kidding, they're going to what, abandon their charges and run off to get hitched?"

Lissa shook her head yes as Aaron looked shyly at his feet. "Well, that's kind of stupid." I told them, although a part of me really loved how the Guardians were rebelling against our customs. I didn't fully like the way they were going about it. They were going against everything I had been trained to believe.

Aaron was still unsettled with me being apart of the conversation and excused himself to join his other friends. Lissa and I left a few minutes later only to get a few feet from the door before an odd sliding sound came from above us. I looked up just in time to see a small avalanche of slush to fall directly on Lissa. Her hair and clothes were soaked through.

I quickly forced her out of her jacket, replacing it with mine. The slickness of the pleather had repelled what little of the slush had splashed on me. Eyeing the crowd that stood around us, I could see Aaron's little doll girl laughing. With a growl I stormed in her direction.

"Nice shirt, did it come from a homeless shelter?" Mia asked as I approached. "Actually, it's so ugly a homeless person would probably burn it before even wearing it."

"I'm sure you would just love to burn it except you can't control fire can you? Your element is water and interesting enough a bunch just fell on us.

"I have no clue what you are talking about." She said, blinking her wide blue eyes innocently.

"Yes, I'm sure you don't. I wonder how Kirova would feel about the situation though."

"Why would Kirova care?" She flinched backwards.

"Isn't it against the rules to use magic to attack others?" I smiled back at her.

"You can't blame me for an act of God." She huffed, setting the group into laughter once again. I could feel my anger rising.

"No, Rose, leave it alone, please?" Lissa said as her hand came down on my raised fist. "Come on, your mom's waiting for us." I gave in and giving Bitch Doll one last dirty look, followed Lissa over to my mom. Coming up with an excuse about needing to get a few forgotten items from my old dorm, I left my mother to escort Lissa around campus before she could stop me.

I had just entered the commons when Mason stepped away from the wall. "I see Kirova threatening complete expulsion can't keep you away from cat fights. What was it about anyways?"

"Cat fight? There was no such thing!"

"You had your claws out and ready to strike. Have you no respect for holy ground?"

"Really, this from the heathen who wouldn't step foot into a church?" I snorted. Locating an empty table tucked away in the corner, I pulled Mason with me. Sitting down, I placed the book on the table and began to leaf through it.

"Hey, don't you need to get to your dorm?"

"Nah, I live in guest housing with my mother so she can babysit me at night. Plus there are so many people in here right now; it'll take them a while to find me."

"It's your life or rather your death." He shrugged.

"At least I'll die happy that I was able to have a solid two minutes of a social life. I hate not being able to do anything and it's only been a week."

"You're not the only one. We missed you last night. We raided the Royal party and played pool. Eddie was raking in the cash!"

"It's cruel to rub salt on open wounds, Mase. Keep the details of your glamorous social life to yourself."

I continued to leaf through the book as Mason and I jested back and forth. Giving up I turned to the back and found the page number I needed.

 _And with Vladimir always is Anna, the daughter of Fyodor. Their love is as chaste and pure as that of brother and sister, and many times she has defended him from Strigoi who seek to destroy him and his holiness. Likewise, it is she who comforts him when the spirit becomes too much to bear and Satan's darkness tries to smother him and weaken his own health and body. This too she defends against, for they have been bound together ever since he saved her life as a child. It is a sign of God's love that He has sent the blessed Vladimir a Guardian such as her, one who is shadow-kissed and always knows what is in his heart and mind._

I growled and threw the book closed. "It doesn't actually say what shadow-kissed is."

"Maybe they were kissing in the shadows" Mason said wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"I doubt it. Vladimir was a saint." I laughed

"Yeah right, the brother sister thing is to throw you off. Keep reading, it says they were bound together. Its code for his…"

"Stop, they were just close friends most likely." I read quickly through the text again. Bound together….as in a bond? Yes, they had a bond. She always knew what was in his heart and mind, just like I knew what was in Lissa's. "Okay, this is going nowhere. I'm going to get out of here before I get caught."

I left Mason sitting at the table and headed off to guest housing. I knew there was a stash of chips and chocolate in the kitchen and they were calling my name.


	11. AN

**Author's Note**

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday I have been really busy shopping and cooking. We have three different dinners to attend this year, so I have not been able to get much written this week. I am very sorry its taking so long, but I promise, I am working on the next chapter.


	12. Chapter 10

**Dimitri Belikov**

The party was like any party back home. Students were drinking and making out in the corners of the room, while others stood around talking. To the left side of the room was a pool table where a group stood playing and making bets. The only difference was the horrible music that played in the background.

"Ah, Jesse, I figured I would find you here." Ivan called out to a boy that held a lot of resemblance to him. "Dimka, you remember Jesse from when they visited a few years back?"

I gave the other boy a small smile and shook his hand in greeting.

"Hello Ivan, I see you've been here barely a day and already picked up a nice piece of eye candy." Jesse said as he studied Vika as if she was something to dine on. He stepped forward to take her hand, but before he could bring it to his lips, Ivan's hand landed on top of his. I reached out and pulled Vika's hand out of his grasp, giving him a deathly look.

"Vika is not someone to be messed with. You will show her the respect she deserves." Ivan was telling him. "Plus, she is this one's younger sister. I am sure you do not want to be on the receiving end of his wrath." Ivan told him as his thumb pointed in my direction. "Or mine, cousin." He finished for good measure.

I knew that Ivan had an eye for my sister. It was something I had never seen her encourage, but I did not worry over the issue. Ivan, though a party boy and a flirt, had always been a gentleman when it came to girls. I knew he would never push for anything with Vika out of respect for me and for her.

Jesse smiled cockily, but instead of saying anything more began to introduce us around the room. Vika left us in favor of talking with a small grouping of other female Dhampir in attendance. Ivan and I found ourselves sitting on one of the small couches as he flirted with any girl who showed the least bit of interest. Growing bored with his antics, I stood to see what drinks the refreshment table offered.

"Oh, hi, you must be one of the new students. I don't remember you being around before." A pretty blond Moroi said as she came to stand at the table at the same time I did. Her emerald eyes, though hesitant, showed signs of curiosity.

"Yes, Princess, I arrived from Russia the day before you returned." I gave her a friendly smile. The small happiness that had been in her eyes faltered, so I broadened my smile. "It's a pleasure to officially meet you. I'm Dimitri Belikov"

"You too, but please call me Lissa. I rather hate to formality of the titles, especially from fellow classmates." She told me as her smile returned to her eyes. I prepared both of our drinks as we talked about how I liked the school and America so far. Continuing our conversation, as she followed me back to my seat next to Ivan, I gave her my seat and settled myself in the floor near her feet. The hooded looks from other students didn't go unnoticed by me and if the princess noticed them, she didn't react to them. Vika eventually rejoined us, quickly making friends with the princess and I slowly forgot about the odd looks from our peers. Eventually the party died down and we all returned to our perspective dorm rooms.

When Sunday rolled around, I met Ivan and Vika in front of the church. We had attended church services every week back home. A small part of me felt that I no longer deserved to be allowed inside, I still went in hopes that I could find forgiveness for the Strigoi I had killed. Strigoi were by far horrible creatures, but at one time they had been a living being. They had at one time been someone that had been loved by friends and family.

I halfheartedly listened to the sermon, choosing to not take communion until I had come to terms with my internal battle. Feeling as if I was being watched, I glanced up to find that Rose Hathaway's eyes were trained on me. She had a peculiar look on her face. All too quickly she turned around and I was left to study the back of her head. I tried not to think about what she could have possibly seen in me that had her turning away so quickly, but failed.

I didn't realize that church was ended until Ivan elbowed me in the ribs. Clearing my head, I followed him outside. Looking back to see if I could locate the dark haired beauty that seemed to haunt me both day and night, I saw as she approached the front of the church. It was surprising to see that she was perhaps religious and added one more thing to the list of things about Rose Hathaway that confounded me.

"What are you looking- Oh hi Lissa." Vika said from behind me. Thanking the heavens for the saving grace that was Vasilissa Dragomir, I made my way out of the church along with our small group. Lissa was stopped just by the door by another one of what I assumed was her many friends. Ivan, Vika, and I continued outside and to his parents' room in guest quarters.

Monday morning rolled around and around all too soon and after having adjusted to the time difference, Vika and I found ourselves once again in the gym early in the Moroi morning. We were just getting settled when Rose and her mother made their way inside. Guardian Hathaway called out a quick good morning, but Rose paused in surprise near the door, recovering just a mere second later.

They both made their way over to us as Guardian Hathaway thanked Vika and me for agreeing to join them. Rose knitted her eyebrows as she looked at her mother incredulously. She then turned towards Vika and me.

"I'm Rose." She forcefully grinned, sticking her hand out in offer. I took her hand in mine intending a small shake of acknowledgement but the warm shock that I felt had me frozen. Still holding her hand, my eyes met her's. "Dimitri Belikov and my sister, Viktoria,"

"You're the ones from Russia, th-that killed the Strigoi." Her voice held no malice or fear, but a deep understanding. Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth as it dawned on her what she had said. I gave her a sad, but knowing look. "I'm so sorry." She continued under her mother's disapproving glare.

"It's okay. I understand." I told her. Her eyes mirrored the saddened burden that I felt inside.

"Not the best way to greet someone you just met, Rosemarie." I heard Guardian Hathaway scoff at her daughter. "But since you brought it up, I do need to talk with you both. We will be holding a Molnija ceremony for the two of you. Meet with me after practice and we will discuss the specifics." Her tone made clear that the subject was to be dropped and she quickly sent us on a three mile run.

Rose gave us a small wave and ran ahead of us towards the track. Vika made a comment about her not being very social as we jogged our way there and I just shrugged at her in response. "Want to make a race out of it?" I smiled down at her and wanting to be left alone with my thoughts, I burst forward before she could answer.

As I caught up to Rose, I nearly passed by her before giving in and instead keeping a steady pace with her. She glanced up at me as her brows rose in question. "I know I had to do it in order to survive, but I still regret it at the same time. They once had souls and people that cared for them. I try to take comfort in that I was able to let their souls find peace, but it still bothers me every day." I said just loud enough for my voice to reach her.

Her steps slowed and I began to instantly regret my decision. Then before I could apologize, she met my pace again.

"I hated it both times, and still hate myself for it at times. It feels like I was taking a life, but I would do anything to keep Lissa safe. She isn't just any Moroi to me. She is my best friend, well more like a sister. I just wish…" Her words died off. I could understand her mind though. I wished too that we could live in a world where Strigoi did not exist.

"Yeah," I said simply. Conversation dropped between us as we ran side by side, each lost in our own past. "The rest, they don't understand it yet." I said after a couple circuits around the track.

"They don't, and I wish they never would have to. They still have childish and glamorous thoughts of molnija marks. They don't understand the burden it will put on their souls yet. I don't even want molnija markings anymore. They will only be a reminder of another family robbed of a loved one, another reminder of someone else that may have been forced to lose their soul." Her softened voice conveyed the same sorrow that I felt.

"I understand completely." I said just as softly. She seemed to have easily put everything I was feeling into just a few words. In that single moment, I looked over and taking in the profile of her face, it felt like something had begun winding its way around my heart. It didn't feel constricting though. It felt warm and freeing.

As we began our last lap, Rose suddenly came to a complete stop, her arms flailing as she tried to keep her balance. Instantly spinning as I halted my own steps, I steadied us both by gently griping her shoulders. Her face was blank and her eyes unfocused. I feared that she may be about to pass out and called out for Guardian Hathaway. "Rose?" I questioned, trying to bring her out of the odd trance she was in. Guardian Hathaway reached us quickly, and asked me to move aside. Worried though, I couldn't move. "Rose?" I asked again, my voice lowered a few octaves.

"Novice Belikov let me have Rose. She is with the Princess right now, but I promise you she is okay." Guardian Hathaway said as she gently pulled Rose from my hold. What did she mean by that? How could Rose be with the princess if she was standing right in front of me?

I felt a hand being placed tentatively on my arm and looked over to see that Vika had come to a stop next to us. I shook my head at her expressing that I was just as confused as she was. A gasp drew my attention back to Rose.

"Lissa, I've got to get to Lissa, something is wrong." She said as she took off running, leaving the other three of us scrambling to catch up. She stopped in front of Lissa's dorm and what I saw before me, left me nauseated. The princess was sobbing next to some butchered dead animal. "Oh God, Liss, I am so sorry. I was hoping it wouldn't start again." I barely heard her whisper to the princess.

Guardian Hathaway was talking quickly into her phone. After hanging up, she sent Vika and me to our dorms to get ready for the rest of the school day. Taking one last look at Rose, I turned and taking Vika's arm, begrudgingly walked away.

That night my usual nightmare morphed into one like no other. Usually I would find myself standing amongst a sea of dead Guardians and students, Vika and Ivan at my feet, and an army of Strigoi surrounding me. This time though, I was walking through the commons, my path littered with dead animals and people, their hearts ripped from their chests. The trail ended with a group of Strigoi, beckoning me to approach.

I knew better, but I could not help myself. I moved forward and reached down for my silver stake, only to find I did not have one. Still, I approached the Strigoi and once I was close enough to see their faces, I found them to be those of my friends. One in particular made me want to scream out in fury. Looking into the red rimmed eyes of Rose Hathaway was my undoing and I fell to the ground begging for death to take me.

 **A/N**

 _Thank goodness it took the ham nearly two hours to cook and I was able to get this finished. Not sure when my next chapter will get posted...I may be in a Turkey Coma very soon :) but I am hoping if I can't get one up tomorrow, then I will have one ready by Sunday night. I hope everyone is having a really wonderful day. Happy Thanksgiving to those that celebrate, I hope your family and friends are blessed with many good tidings. I'm off for round two of turkey and dressing and all the trimmings...and pie...most definitely the pie!_


	13. Chapter 11

**Rose Hathaway**

Slipping out of the Dhampir dorms, I made my way towards my room. I was sure my mother had noticed I was late getting back by this time. I know she was being generous about allowing me a few stolen moments here and there for socializing, but I had been gone for nearly an hour.

"Ah, Rose. How are you today my dear?" I heard as I entered the courtyard. Looking towards the voice, I found Victor Dashkov leaning against the wall.

"I'm doing well, just trying my best to keep out of trouble." I told him as I gave him a gentle hug. Victor had always been kind. It was sad to watch as his Sandovsky's Syndrome took more and more of him every day.

"Good, Good." He replied. "And Lissa, I trust she is doing well also?"

"She's had it a little rough, some kids are bullying her, but she is readjusting well. She doesn't let it get to her too much."

"As close as the two of you are, your punishment must be hurting you both, yes?" His eyes were filled with concern.

"I still have classes with her and church on Sundays. It's not too bad; I still wish I could spend more time with her." I told him honestly. Victor was about to say something else but was overtaken with fits of coughing. "You should go inside Prince Victor. You're going to get chilled out here. Please take care of yourself."

"Yes, I suppose your right." He hacked out between coughs. His two Guardians led him back inside and out of the cool air. I followed through into guest housing and made my way to my mom's small apartment.

She was setting a plate of sandwiches on the table and looked up when I walked in. "Rose, where were you? You shouldn't push Kirova too far you know."

"I know mom, but I was looking into some things about bonds and stuff." I told her as I waved the book of Moroi Saints in front of me. She leaned her head in the direction of my bedroom and told me to get ready for lunch.

"Rose, I have to ask a few questions that I know are going to be hard for you. I'm sorry, but I thought we could just get it over with so we can move forward." My mom said hesitantly as she was staring down at the sandwich in her hands.

"Okay."

"A few visiting Guardians are going to be getting their Molnija marks. With what you unintentionally shared in Guardian Alto's class, well Alberta thought we might as well get yours done at the same time."

"Molnija marks, but I'm not promised yet." I gasped.

"Well it's not usual that these things happen, but there have been a few times that a novice has killed Strigoi before being promised. It's rare, but it happens." Her face held a bit of sadness.

"Well just tell me the date and time and I'll show up, I guess." I shrugged my shoulders, ready for a change of topic.

"The thing is Rose, we need to know how many Strigoi you have killed." She was once again looking everywhere but directly at me.

"Mom," I pleaded. I didn't want to think about that.

"I know honey, but we have to know." I wasn't use to Janine showing in form of emotion. I ran to me room coming back with a journal and handed it to my mother.

"Please don't share it with anyone else. It's all in there, February and again in June. I can't talk about it yet."

My mother nodded in understanding and thanked me. We finished eating and she slipped into her bedroom with my journal in tow. Not knowing what to do with myself, I decided to take a shower and watch some television before heading to bed.

The bad thing about Moroi schedule is that there wasn't much on come four am. Looking through, I found that my mother had saved a couple of shows to watch. Supernatural or some medical show was the only options I had if I wanted to avoid infomercials.

Halfway through the second episode of Supernatural my mother walked out of her bedroom with a sullen look to her face. I gave her a pleading look trying to prevent her from asking me any questions. She gave me a gentle smile and headed towards the door. "I need to speak with Alberta, I'll be back shortly. You have classes later, so it might be best to get some sleep."

Knowing she was right, I shut off the television and headed towards my room. I heard the front door close right before the soft click of my door closing.

 **Janine Hathaway**

I sat up in my bed as I ran my fingers over the soft leather of my daughter's journal. It contained the secrets of her time away from the academy and I was honestly terrified of what lay between the bound leather cover. The pages I knew where going to tell me how my once happy and outgoing little girl had turned into the angry and rebellious teenager she was. I knew that her rebellious nature could slightly be attributed to genetics. She was Ibrahim's daughter after all. I knew a big part of it was also my fault. What I wanted to know, what I feared knowing, was what was causing her to look so haunted.

Sighing, I flipped the book open, intending to only flip through and find the information I needed to relay to Alberta. Rose had given me absolute trust with her secrets and I knew that like her father, trust with such matters was not given lightly. She was so much like him in many ways. "Oh, Abe, I think we made a mistake." I whispered into the air around me.

A date caught my attention. I remembered it well because it was the last time I had seen my daughter, just a year or so before that horrible accident.

 _Janine came today. It has been nearly two years since she came the last time. At least I know that she is alive. I still dream that she will come back and be my mom, but she won't leave her charge for me. It hurts because I see how Lissa and Andre have such a good relationship with their parents. I want parents like Rhea and Eric. Instead, I am left with a father who probably doesn't even know I exist and if he does, doesn't care anything about me. I think my mother would rather a Strigoi kill her before she actually enacted on her not so great motherly duties._

I gasped at the words. Did she really feel that way? Had my choices caused her to become so cold and uncaring? Well, I couldn't say uncaring, she did love Lissa as a sister. She pushed many people away, me included, but those that she loved-she loved them so fiercely. Blinking away the tears in my eyes, I shifted up straighter in the bed and continued reading.

 _I couldn't talk to her. I was mad. I'm not mad at her really though, I am beginning to understand why things are as they are. She feels as protective of her Moroi as I do of Lissa. It is when she leaves that really bothers me. I know that after a few hours she will walk away from me for who knows how many months, and it may be the last time I will ever see her. She may have abandoned me here at the academy, but she is the only parent I know. If she dies, I will be an orphan. I like to hope that some small part of her cares about me since she does try to visit now and again. If I lose her, then I lose any chance of ever having a mother._

The last two lines on the page were written in tear-stained ink and made her already horrible handwriting completely illegible. "Oh, Rose, if I had truly known. If only I had truly known." I said as my own tears joined her long ago dried ones on the page. Feeling like my heart had been torn from my body, I set the book down and opening the cabinet beside my bed pulled out a small glass and a bottle of Turkish whiskey. I filled the glass halfway and quickly downed the liquid. It still gave a slight sting as it slid down my throat, even after all these years.

I looked back at the journal and tried to shake the memory of her words from my head. Reaching for the journal once more, I drew my hand back and refilled my glass with another round of liquid courage. I closed my eyes as I let the whiskey burn my tongue before swallowing it down my numbed throat and once more picked up the book. This time I scanned the dates until I found February of this year. I continued scanning not really reading the words until one jumped out at me. Strigoi.

 _Lissa just had to go out tonight. I told her that it was not a good decision, but she was tired of the sun. Even under the shade of an umbrella it made her skin sting and her body weak. I gave in, which was my first mistake. We were walking back from the drug store on the corner when I felt my stomach churn. It had been hours since I had eaten so I knew it wasn't some form of food poisoning. Plus I don't think food poisoning would have left me with the unsurmountable feeling of dread that I had felt._

 _I pulled Lissa closer to me and as we passed the alley between the store and our apartment, a blurry movement caught my eye. I turned my head and found myself staring into the eyes of a Strigoi, half hidden in the shadows of the buildings. I pushed Lissa behind me and faced the Strigoi. I could not let him take Lissa from me. I had to hide her. Glancing behind me, I saw a low sitting truck and pushing Lissa back, I whispered for her to climb under it._

 _I heard another voice come from the alley and realized a second Strigoi had joined the first. I quickly grabbed my stake from the pocket of my jeans and tried to push Lissa's fear from my mind. Keeping the Strigoi in my line of vision I checked to make sure there were no humans milling about. Seeing that the streets were deserted, I sternly told Lissa to stay put and advanced towards the first Strigoi. He was bigger and most likely the biggest threat._

 _He knew my intention though, and stepped back shoving the smaller Strigoi in my way. The small Strigoi smiled and launched herself at me immediately. I fought her hard, but by the time I sunk my stake into her heart, I could feel all of the scrapes and bruises that she had left behind. I was left with the male Strigoi, but I was tired and hurting. He looked at me knowingly. He had done this purposely._

 _Lissa's feelings began to mingle with my own, and I pushed them away again. They had reminded me though what I was trying to save. It gave me a burst of energy and I attacked the Strigoi head on. He was blocking my every move though. He eventually picked me up by one arm and tossed me against the side of the building. My shoulder took the brunt of the hit and I felt it slide out of socket. I hissed as I hit the ground barely able to keep my grip on my stake._

 _The Strigoi was standing over me in a heartbeat, leering down at me and laughing. My fear gave way to anger and I kicked my leg up hitting him in the groin and sending him back a few steps. It was enough though that I could spring to my feet. I ignored the searing pain of my shoulder and attacked the Strigoi once more. It was harder to fight though; I only had use of my staking hand._

 _Unable to block my left side, the Strigoi seemed to favor hitting and kicking me there. I scrapped his arm with the tip of my stake and he growled at me, taking another step back. Taking the opening, I gave him a round house kick to the side of his head, but he caught my ankle and my calf. I felt as he twisted the bone causing it to snap before he once again threw me against a wall. I knew that the fight was over._

 _I felt tears prickle my eyes as he advanced toward me. I slid further down the alley, hoping that Lissa would have a chance to run away after he killed me. The Strigoi was fast though and with a heavy stomp, brought his foot down, shattering the knee of my good leg. I fell back on my good arm, and felt as my stake grazed the skin on my back. Before I could wiggle my arm out from under me, the Strigoi was in my face, laughing and taunting me. His teeth bared, he leaned in close but paused just a mere inch from my neck. It was then that I heard the footsteps running down the alley. At first I thought it was another Strigoi, but we were suddenly surrounded by the bright blinking strobes of an ultraviolet flash light._

 _The Strigoi flinched away and hissed in pain, but I knew it was my only chance. In that second, I felt all of my pain, anger, and fear slip away as I somehow lurched myself forward and on top of the crouching Strigoi, driving my stake into his heart._

 _I looked down the alley and found a terrified Lissa. Her eyes were wide and she was hunkered down crying. I used my one good arm and pulled my broken and battered body down the alley towards her. The ground scraping and ripping my already torn skin even more._

 _I woke up in our apartment completely healed to Lissa passed out next to me. I shook her awake and forced her to feed. It had taken nearly everything from her to heal me. I could feel her hunger and exhaustion through the bond. Once I woke up I yelled at Lissa for being so stupid, but we both ended up crying and hugging each other. If it hadn't had been for her stupidity, we both would have probably died last night. I wonder if anyone would have noticed or if anyone would have even cared._

 _I wish we could find someone to trust but until then, I will have to get better and not slack on my training as much. I am going to make sure that whoever is trying to hurt Lissa will never have an easy job of it._

"Oh dear God!" I muttered as I quickly flipped through the book to find June before I lost my resolve. I found that the Strigoi attack in June was slightly less gory. She had only walked away from it with a gashed cheek and a broken finger. Closing the book, I took a few steadying breaths before taking another drink of the whiskey and walking out of my room. I had to get out of the apartment and Alberta was expecting me tonight anyhow.

I found Rose on the sofa; she turned her face towards me and tightly closed her eyes, shaking her head no. When she finally opened them and looked at me again, I explained I was leaving and that she should head to bed. I really needed to see Alberta now. I could barely handle reading about the burden my daughter carried with her. She had only been sixteen when she had killed her first Strigoi.

"Alberta, she was only sixteen. My baby was only sixteen." I said as I fell into a chair and accepted the drink she passed me. It wasn't as strong as the whiskey was, but it would do.

"I take it you were able to get her to talk?" she asked me.

"No, but she handed over her journal. Damn it, Alberta, she would have died that first attack if it wasn't for whatever it is that the princess is able to do. Rose claimed that the princess healed her."

"Their story sounds a lot like Vladimir and Anna's, you know?"

"You don't suppose?" I began to question but the nodding of her head let me know I didn't need to finish my thought. "She killed four. She is only seventeen years old, Bertie, and she has already killed four Strigoi." I sighed as I finally allowed the tears to fall down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry Janie, you trusted me to look out for her all these years, and I failed you both." Alberta said as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

"No, Bertie, her father and I failed her. You are not to blame for this, but something was going on to make those girls leave and they felt that they had no one they could trust enough to seek out help. I will find the bastard responsible and I will make them regret the very second that they decided to bring harm to Rose and the princess. I may have failed Rose in the past, but no more, Alberta. I will not allow my daughter to suffer any more pain, God so help me."

Alberta hugged me closer and I went through the details of the Strigoi kills under her gentle urging. Afterwards we discussed the new details I had learned in the past week about their bond. Along with the big and small details of the bullying and the dead animal that had been plaguing the princess. After a few more drinks we worked out the details for the upcoming Molnija ceremony. Eventually the conversation took its toll on us and we fell into silence, staring at nothing in particular. It was another hour before I was able to contain my thoughts, stand, and leave to go back to my apartment.

Once inside, I quietly opened Rose's door and stood watching as my only baby lay slumbering in her bed. I had not done this since she was a rambunctious toddler. My shattered heart began to mend as I watched over her with a new determination. I was going to find the person responsible for my daughter's pain and I would kill them, but first I was going to make sure they felt every scrape and broken bone that had been bestowed on Rosemarie.


	14. Chapter 12

**Rosemarie Hathaway**

"Oh God, Liss, I am so sorry. I was hoping it wouldn't start again." I murmured against Lissa ear, as I lifted her away from her bed and the slaughtered fox that rested on her pillows.

"I-I tried Rose, I didn't notice there was so much damage." Lissa cried against my shoulder.

"Lissa you didn't, please tell me you didn't try to…You promised not to do that again, Liss." I said as I pulled away enough to look into her apologetic face. I no longer needed an answer, her expression said it all. "It doesn't matter now. It's going to be okay. I won't let this start again. I will take you away from here before it gets that bad. I promise."

"No Rose, it is time I stop running. You don't have to be the only one that is strong." She said. I wasn't sure which of us she was trying to convince though.

"Lissa it's okay. I am the reckless one. Don't get yourself in trouble. Let me handle it. What's one more mark on my book of errors? Just stay yourself and be cautious of the people around you, no matter how good of a friend you see them as."

"That's the thing Rose. This stuff is going to end now. I can see its even getting to you. I can see the tears you're blinking away. It's okay if you cry sometimes Rose. You've lost so much because you're always putting me first. It's my turn to kick some ass," She said with a little more conviction. It was then that I began to feel the anger boiling inside her.

Movement near the door drew my attention away from her face and halted our conversation. Kirova was entering with a couple of janitors and a few Guardians behind her. "Just lay low, Lissa, keep to middle ground for now." I whispered to her as Kirova advanced on us. Lissa mouthed okay to me as Kirova took my arm, telling me that I was in contempt of my probation. Luckily she was going to let me slide this time due to the circumstances. Even in her kindness she was still a bitch.

Lissa didn't make an appearance all morning. When lunch rolled around, I thought about slipping off to see what I could find at the apartment to eat, but Natalie had caught up to me and was rambling on about how cruel people could be. She was getting on my nerves, but her talkative nature made it hard to think, and I subjected myself to lunching with her. It helped in keeping away some of the murderous thoughts I had been forming.

I was concentrating on keeping up with Natalie's fly by talking when I was sucked once more into Lissa's head. She was walking around the school being very talkative, too talkative. She spent a few moments speaking with each person and I began to notice a pattern. Each one would tilt their head slightly sideways and their eyes would glass over. Lissa was compelling them to forget the rumors they had heard. She just got done agreeing this morning to lay low. "What happened to staying on middle ground, Liss?" I said to myself.

"I'm sorry, what was that Rose?" Natalie's voice brought me to my present surroundings.

"Oh, sorry my mind wandered off. I must have spoken out loud." I said waving my hand in a way to say it was nothing.

"Oh okay." She smiled at me. "So what do you think?"

"Think about what?"

"The dance, silly, do you think Kirova will let you off for good behavior. Daddy's coming back next month to take me dress shopping."

"Oh. No, Kirova is dead set on me not having a social life until graduation." I told her and excused myself to go find Lissa.

She ended up finding me and we walked to our next class together. "What are you doing, Liss?"

"I'm taking care of things. They were going too far."

"But with you know what? It isn't right."

"If they want to play dirty, then I am going to play dirtier. I learned from the best, you know." She said as she raised her eyebrows and gave me a pointed look. "Hey your mom must be Guarding this class."

I looked toward the doorway and sure enough my mother was standing just beside it. She gave us a small nod as we walked in, but kept her face the emotionless mask that seemed to be the norm for Guardians. I followed Lissa to an open seat and found that she had settled herself in cattycornered from none other than Christian Ozera. I gave her a look, but kept my mouth closed and sat down behind him.

A few minutes into the beginning of the class, Mr. Nagy paused in his lesson. "Mia, passing notes are we? Let me have it." He called out as he used his magic to bring the note to his hand. He was also known for his enjoyment of reading notes aloud. It was the only time he broke from his usual stern nature and read the notes with faux emotional input. It not only embarrassed those who had written the note, but also those who were written about.

"The first person says: Did you ever read the story about the Princess and the fox? The second person says: No, I thought it was the Princess and the Frog."

"Mr. Nagy, Mia is using you as a tool to spread her malicious undertakings." Lissa called out before he could read more of the note.

"Princess Vasilissa, I assure you I am no one's tool." He tried correcting her.

"You're being one now." I muttered.

"Hathaway, did you have something you needed to add?" He turned to me, quirking his brow.

"No sir." I answered and slid down in my seat, waiting for the shoe to drop.

"Anyways, the first person answers back: Oh not in this story. I heard that a certain princess killed a fox and drank from it. The second person says: That is just gross, why not just go to a feeder? The first person then says: Well I heard it was because she wasn't happy with the feeders. She was seeking something to fill the void of not being able to get any of Rose Hathaway's blood."

Everyone in class began to talk at once. I looked back to see my mother's shocked and angry face staring towards Mia. "What are you getting at Miss Rinaldi; Dhampir mastication is a very serious allegation. Are you confused or shall I send you to Headmistress Kirova to explain them?"

"Mia isn't confused, Mr. Nagy, Rose is nothing but a Dhamp Tramp. She offered herself up to me and Ralf just the other day. At the same time too!" Jesse Zeklos called out.

"What? You lying piece of shit, you better watch your back." I yelled, standing from my seat.

"Are you threatening me, Dhamp Tramp?" Jesse yelled back. All of a sudden he was surrounded by fire. He jumped from his seat slapping at his shirt.

"Mr. Ozera that is uncalled for." Mr. Nagy yelled out. "Go see Headmistress Kirova now."

Christian and Lissa met one another's gaze and then Christian left the room hastily. "Sit down Jesse, you haven't been harmed. You and Mia will be staying behind when this class is over. Everyone get back to work." Mr. Nagy snapped as he walked from the room. I couldn't help but to look at my mother as he passed by her to exit the door. Although her face was back to its expressionless self, her skin was flushed in anger. I shook my head at her, hoping to convey that it was all lies. Unsure if she had noticed or not I turned back to begin on my schoolwork.

I made it through the rest of the day with no more trouble and headed to the gym to meet my mother for afternoon training. I found myself to be the first one in the gym and settled myself so I could use the bond to check in on Lissa while I waited. I found her in the church attic with Ozera once again. She was chastising him for using fire against another student.

The slamming of the gym door pulled me from her head and I turned to find the Belikova girl walking towards me.

"Hi, want to help me get started on my stretching?" She asked giving me a big smile.

"Yeah, just let's get changed and we can get started." I answered as we headed towards the locker room. I was hoping her brother wouldn't show up and that I could maybe dig a little information out of her. We exited the room to a still empty gym and I smiled at my luck.

Settling in the middle of the mats, I started sitting toe touches so I could talk to her. "I got to talk with your brother more yesterday, but not you. I'm sorry if I seemed rude. I was having an off day."

"Oh, that's fine. We all have them. I'm surprised you were able to keep up with the long legged brute." She said laughing.

"How do you like it here?" I asked figuring it was in the safe zone. "Have you made many friends yet?"

"A few acquaintances, but I haven't made any good new friends yet. Ivan transferred over with us, but he is more Dimitri's friend than mine." She said but her face blushed and her eyes brightened in the telltale sign that she carried at least a slight crush for him.

"I guess I haven't seen him yet." I replied.

"If you'd seen Ivan Zeklos, you would know. There is no missing him."

"Zeklos," I questioned with a shudder.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry. I had heard about fifth period. I'm sorry again. I sometimes don't know when to close my mouth. I promise you Ivan is nothing like his cousin."

"That's good to know. Tell me about him, you seem to really like him." I said, smiling at her. She then began to launch into telling me all about Ivan Zeklos.

"So he and Dimitri have been friends for a long time, then?" I asked.

"Oh yes, since they were little kids."

"Sounds like me and Lissa." I laughed. "Except I am the crazy one and Lissa is the cautious one." I heard the gym door open and looking up saw that Dimitri and my mother were walking through. I elbowed Viktoria and pointed my head in their direction as I began to shake in laughter as I whispered, "It's like looking at Mutt and Jeff when they stand next to each other."

Vika gave me an inquisitive look and it dawned on me that maybe they didn't get the cartoon strips in Russia. "How tall is your brother?" I asked instead of trying to explain my laughter.

"He's six foot seven. Why?"

"He's just really tall. Standing next to my mom he almost looks like a giant." I answered. She looked to the two of them and cracked a smile. It really was a little funny to see Dimitri standing next to my five foot three mother. Heck he was a full foot taller than I was!

"Rose, can I talk with you a minute?" My mother called out. I rolled my eyes and ran over. "I just wanted to let you both know; you'll be getting your Molnija marks tonight. Dimitri, Rose and I will meet you in the common area of your dorm at 7am. I will escort you both to Guardian housing. The ceremony will take place in their commons room."

Dimitri made no move to ask why I wouldn't be waiting in the novice dorm, but then I'm sure everyone knew by now that I had to sleep in my mother's apartment so I could be kept under lock and key at all times. "Ceremony, I thought it was supposed to be a quiet event?" I asked.

"It will be, Rose. I promise. Now, we better join Viktoria and get to training." She said ending the conversation and we made our way back to Viktoria. As we were finishing up our stretches my mother suggested that we spar instead of running. I was more than pleased with idea.

"Come on Comrade, you can be my partner." I said as I bowed in his direction.

"Rose, that was rude!" My mother hissed at me.

"No, it's okay Guardian Hathaway. I find it a bit amusing." Dimitri chuckled.

We circled one another a few times and Dimitri sent a jab towards my shoulder. I ducked under his punch and kicked my foot out towards his knee, but he was quick to lift his leg from my range. I knew I had to either get closer to him or block his attacks until he tired and made a mistake.

I found my opening when he sent a high kick to my face. Ducking and rolling I came to stand just in front of him raising my arm to execute a kill shot. Instead of my hand slapping over his heart though, he grabbed my wrist and spun at the last second. He sent me stumbling over the outer boundary line with a smirk on his face.

I circled him a few times and he kept the cocky smirk on his face. It was beginning to piss me off. I feigned stepping left and when he went to follow, so I rushed to his side. He stuck his arm out catching me in the stomach. The moved caused me to double over and bounce back on my ass. He was instantly over me; hand on my chest as he uttered, "Dead."

"Sorry if I hurt you." He said as he offered me his hand to help me off the ground.

"No problem, I lost focus." I said. His smirk fell into a half smile and I felt my heart flutter. "I'm going to get a drink." I told him as I stared at his lips. Quickly turning I grabbed my water bottle from where it sat just a few feet outside the lines of the mat.

Bringing the bottle to my mouth, I turned to see him bent down retrieving his own water bottle. With a smirk, I dropped my drink on my bag and rushed at his back, wrapping my arms around his neck. My intention was to send him sprawling on the floor, but instead I found myself flipped over his shoulders. Before I could take a breath, my wrists were wrapped in his large, warm hands and pulled above my head. My body completely pinned beneath him. The position brought our faces just a fraction of an inch apart, our breaths mingling.

"I thought I had you there." I whispered trying to not concentrate on how the warmth of his body was covering nearly every inch of me.

"Your battle cry gave you away." He said as his eyes caught mine. I sucked in a small gasp of air as the deep, dark brown orbs pulled me in. His gentle laugh engulfed me, causing his minty breath to dance across my face once more. "Can I trust you not to punch me if I let you up?"

"I'd rather you didn't." I sighed, feeling his legs begin to flex and release mine. Where in the hell did that come from? I chastised myself. His movements and breathing stilled as a look of surprised appreciation flashed on his face.

"…mean it, take this serious. Rose that was an illegal move, good form Belikov," my mother's words broke through the spell that was holding us. Clearing his throat, I felt Dimitri's body shift off of mine. I sat up to find he was crouched on his heels, between my knees.

"Loose the yell of alarm next time. You might have had me if it wasn't for that." He smiled at me, teasingly.

"Do you really think so?" I asked feeling excited about my almost success.

"Nah, I could hear your feet slapping against the mat while you were running." He was now all out laughing. I pushed him back on his bum and rising off the matt, laughed at his expression of surprise and mock hurt, as I walked back to my bag. He caught up with me and lifting the strap of the gym tote, he laid it on my shoulder. "See you in the morning." He told me before turning to grab his own bag.

I followed my mother to our apartment, upset that she had ruined my moment with Dimitri. I had almost kissed him. Once inside the apartment, she offered me to have the first shower. When I gave her a questioning look she reminded me that tonight was the reception for the Queen.

While showering, I realized that I was having a major crush on Dimitri. I was beginning to feel a lot more than just mild attraction to him. Roughly scrubbing shampoo into my hair, I mentally kicked myself. As much as I wanted to enact on my growing feelings, I couldn't. I only had eight months until graduation. In that time, I needed to concentrate on becoming the best guardian for Lissa that I could. I didn't have time for romance and heartbreak, because if my feeling for Dimitri were already stronger than I had felt for anyone else, then they would probably only grow more. I would be left heartbroken when we had to go our separate ways in order to do our duties to our charges.

Shaking my thoughts from head before they could become depressing, I rinsed off and stepped from the shower. Drying off and getting dressed; I kept my mind on the small tasks I was doing. Checking on Lissa, I found her fixing her hair and my mood lifted as I remembered that I would get to see her again today.


	15. Chapter 13

**Dimitri Belikov**

Rose Hathaway was a dangerous and confusing plague. On one hand you had rumors of a girl who was not only violent and nothing shy of a blood whore. On the other, you had the Rose I had seen, the funny and sassy protectress. She was beautiful and witty. She was obstinate. The one thing I was discovering about Rose is that for every one fault you could find there were two good traits to replace them.

She was inviting me to go against my very nature. I was training to become a Guardian. I had to put Moroi before my wants and Rose made me want to rebel against that. I nearly had lost my resolve and kissed her after the sparring. Something about seeing the lighter side of Rose, had stirred the feelings I had been trying to bury.

I sat through the entire reception and dinner for the Queen, oblivious to what was happening around me. I only had room for one thought on my mind. The memory of Rose's soft and warm body underneath mine. The way her supple curves fit against the taught muscles of my chest. The way each word and breath from her sent the scent of cherries and mint. Yes, Rose Hathaway was unknowingly becoming my own person tormentor.

"…he's i E, Ivan," Vika's teasing voice and Ivan's slap on my shoulder drew me out of my daydream of Rose. I looked around to see that the banquet hall had nearly emptied. Narrowing my eyes at Vika, I clamped my hand over her mouth.

"It's not love. I'm just trying to figure her out."

"Who's the lucky lady?" Ivan asked, wriggling his eyebrows at me suggestively.

"No one," I said quickly.

"Rose Hathaway." Vika answered at the same time. "You should have seen them earlier during our extra practice session. It looked like they were about to rip one another's clothes off and go at it." She giggled.

"I don't think so. It was an intense fight. We were just catching our breaths." I countered. Leave it to my sister to hone in on what I was hoping no one had noticed. She rolled her eyes at me and Ivan gave me a pat on the back. I marched ahead of them and left them with their laughing as I headed to my dorm room.

I skipped morning practice the next day, hiding in my dorm until close to time for classes to start. That was the flaw in my plan. Rose was in all four of my classes before lunch. By the time it had dawned on me, it was too late. I made my way to first period and found everyone but Rose had already paired up. She was watching the door and nervously biting her bottom lip. When she saw me, her lip slipped out from her teeth as it broke into a big smile.

"I was getting worried you weren't going to show. Are you feeling okay?" She asked as I dropped my gym bag next to the sparing ring she was standing in.

"Yeah, just slept past my alarm," I said grabbing my protective vest from my bag. "I take it we are going over staking maneuvers today." I asked as I rushed to get it in place, catching up to the rest of the class.

"Here let me." She offered as she reached behind me and lifted the strap to the top of my shoulder. Her finger tips brushed my neck and it took all I had not to flinch away. I enjoyed her touch way too much. I reached up and quickly snapped the straps together and thanking her.

Rose had brought her A-game this morning. She was able to pin and 'stake' me two out of the five rounds we went. It wasn't until she was settled on a weight bench, me spotting her, that I realized I had followed her. We had been caught up talking about certain moves we had used during the sparring.

I would make my break from her when we went to our second class, I kept telling myself, but I found myself sitting in the chair next to her. It went this way all morning. No matter how much I tried to force myself to walk away and not get any closer to her, I found myself either partnering up with her or in a chair next to her.

When lunch came around, she asked me to sit with her and her friends, and I agreed as long as my sister could join. We grabbed our trays and filled them and she led me to a table with a few other novices I didn't really know. We were soon joined by Mason Ashford and Eddie Castile. My sister and Ivan came next, but with one seat left open, I suggested that we would move to another table. Rose assured me there was no need.

She stood and walking to the table next to ours, slapped her hands down flat on its surface. "Move or you will regret it." She said and the two Moroi sitting there quickly gathered their lunch and left. Rose then started sliding the table over to join it with ours. She had just gotten it in place when Lissa walked up with Christian Ozera.

"Did you have to bring Fire Boy?" Rose asked Lissa.

"Yes, Rose. He is my friend too."

Rose leaned in and whispered something in her ear to which Lissa sat back looking at her disapprovingly. "I will say this once, if he goes, then I leave too. Don't push me Rose. I love you, but you can't save me from everything. This is my decision." She then lifted Christian's hand and placed a small kiss on his knuckles. Rose stared at Lissa for a moment. Lissa raised her eyebrows and after a moment turned away turning the conversation to the upcoming Christmas dinner and dance.

I saw when Rose's body relaxed in defeat and she too joined the conversation offering her input on dress colors with a sad look in her eyes. Lissa offered to order her a dress, but Rose shrugged it off. I couldn't understand why she was beginning to turn so glum over a dance. Weren't most girls usually excited over such things? My sisters were always a flurry of talking and nerves before big parties and dances occurred.

"Why are we even discussing this? The dance is over a month away and it's not like I am going to go anyways." Rose said exasperated at Lissa's urging.

"Don't worry about it; I will make sure you get to go." Lissa said almost too quietly to be heard.

"Why aren't you going to go, Rose?" Vika asked baffled.

"Kirova has me on lockdown and my mother is the warden." Rose said as she dangled a french fry from her fingers.

"Well you never know she might let you off for good behavior. If she does, I bet Dimka could take you." She said cheerily, causing me to swallow my water wrong.

"Who's Dimka?" I heard Rose and Lissa ask at the same time over my coughing. Ivan the traitor was slapping my back roughly and their words caused him to shake with his own laughter. Of course he would find the whole situation humorous.

"That's Dimitri's nickname." Vika smiled.

"Why Dimka?" Rose asked. "Shouldn't be something like Dimi?"

"It just is." I shrugged at her, finally able to control my coughing.

"Oh Comrade, I knew living in an Artic Wasteland had to have messed with your heads somehow. How do you get Dimka from Dimitri? There aren't any Ks in that."

"Comrade, Artic Wasteland? Who is this girl?" Ivan sputtered as he laid his head on the table laughing.

"Rose, you really don't know all that much about Russia do you?" Vika asked with amusement.

"I know some. I had to do a book report on R.S.S.R one year." Her words only sufficed to cause Ivan to fall out of his chair as his laughter grew into large guffaws.

"The U.S.S.R?" I asked.

"The what? Oh, it doesn't matter." She said scowling at everyone's amusement.

"Oh I remember that. She started her report with 'I was assigned Russia and the R.S.S.R. I was happy to receive this assignment because Russians are known for their drinking. I guess they would need all that liquor to make it through all the blizzards and stuff." Mason was slamming his fist against the table as laughter once again overtook him.

"Yes! I remember now too. Ms. Vann about blew a gasket when Rose said that her new goal was to 'learn to drink like a Russian'. I think she only passed because Ms. Vann was scared what she would do if she made her rewrite the paper." Eddie said as the whole table fell into another fit of laughter.

"You have an interesting view of Russia, Rose. It isn't all blizzards and drinking." I told her. Lunch ended all too soon. I had enjoyed the company of Rose's friends. Ivan had immediately accepted their invitation to sit with them anytime we wanted. He claimed he hadn't ever laughed as much as he had in all of his life and would definitely be back for dinner and probably every meal after.

The rest of the day went by quickly my thoughts going back and forth from Rose and the Molnija ceremony. Even though lunch had set us all on friendlier terms, Rose and I both were somber at best during afternoon practice.

At dinner I watched and listened not really a part of things. With the exception of a few minutes of hushed conversation with Lissa, Rose was pretty vacant as well. I was grateful when Guardian Hathaway stepped forward from where she was standing against the wall and told Rose and I to go get ready. She reminded us softly to wear an undershirt with a button up or a simple t-shirt, either one as long as they weren't collared.

I showered and placed my hair into a higher than normal pony tail as Guardian Hathaway had suggested. Then dressing in simple jeans, I slipped a ribbed undershirt and black button up shirt on. I went down to the commons room, finding that the couches and tables where filling up with other novices as they talked, trying to enjoy a little time together before being sent to their beds. Vika seeing me came over and gave me a quick hug telling me she would see me in the morning.

Guardian Hathaway showed up at seven exactly, Rose trudging along beside her. She had her hair in some intricate braided bun. A few wisps of the silky strands had escaped and where brushing her cheek. I had to hold myself back from reaching out and running my fingers over them. With a single nod, I followed them into Guardian housing.

Guardian housing was set up much the same way our dormitory was. As a matter of fact, the commons room of the two was only separated by a single double door. I had never seen the actual rooms that the guardians slept in, but I assumed they probably mirrored my own room.

The commons room here was nearly identical to ours; the couches looked much more comfortable though. The tables along an area of one wall had been pushed aside, their chairs turned over so they rested on the tabletops. In the space they usually would rest, a tattoo station had been erected. Guardian Hathaway introduced us to the Guardians that were also receiving Molnija marks. Other than the five of us, Guardian Hathaway had been truthful; only her, the tattoo artist, and Guardian Petrov were in attendance. It was a very small fanfare.

Guardian Petrov stood just behind the tattoo artists and would call their name and state how many marks they would be receiving. In turn, each of the Guardians would remove their outer shirts, laying them over the back of a nearby chair and would then straddle the chair.

During the marking of the second Guardian, I closed my eyes tightly trying to push back the memory of the Strigoi attack. I felt a small tickle along my palm as a hand slid against it before its fingers wrapped around mine. I instantly knew by its warmth, that the hand belonged to Rose. Opening my eyes and looking at her, I saw that her eyes held the same haunted feelings I was trying to bury. I adjusted my hand in hers, entwining our fingers, tightening my grip slightly in understanding.

When the last Guardian stood from the chair, Guardian Petrov looked in our direction giving us a small smile and with one small gulp of air began her introduction of me. Rose flexed her fingers as he grip tightened for just a moment and she slipped her fingers from mine. Like the Guardians before me, I unbuttoned my shirt and laid it across a chair behind me. I had straddled the chair and taking one last glance at Rose, placed my forehead against the headrest and waited.

"Dimitri Belikov will be receiving three Molnija marks. He was able to release the souls of three Strigoi during the attack on St Basil's Academy." I heard Guardian Petrov say, her voice much softer than it had been with the Guardians.

"He has not been promised yet?" The tattoo artists said astounded.

"Yes, the last two are still Novices. They will receive their Promise Marks when they graduate this spring." Guardian Petrov explained.

"They are talented then." The tattoo artist said, though his voice was tinged with slight grief. "It will be tricky, but I am sure I can set the marks so not to interfere with their Promise Marks."

I felt the sting when the needle first bit into my skin and held back the hiss that wanted to escape my lips. I let my mind wander to thoughts of my family back in Russia and before long I felt as a bandage was slipped on my neck and the tattoo artist give my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

I walked back to Rose and laying my hand on her arm whispered that it wasn't too bad and picked up my shirt.

"Rosemarie Hathaway will be receiving four Molnija marks. She was able to release the souls of two Strigoi while vacationing with Princess Vasilissa Dragomir in Chicago. She again released two more souls when their vacation took them to Portland." I felt the corner of my lips turn up at Guardian Petrov's use of the word vacation to describe what Rose and Lissa had really done.

I watched as she approached the tattoo chair, and like the rest of us straddled it backwards. I heard the hum of the tattoo gun begin and a moment later, a small moan of pain. The muscles in my jaw tightened at the sound and I wished more than anything that I could go and grasp her hands in mine once again.

It only took a few minutes time and Rose stood, her neck now bandaged too. I lifted her jacket from the chair behind us and opened it so she could slip into it easily. Her mother directed towards a table that held some refreshments, telling us she would join us in a few moments.

Leading Rose over, I prepared her a small plate with brownies and a few cookies. Placing it in her hands, I saw that a single tear was spilling down her cheek. Using the pad of my thumb I wiped it away and slipped my arm around her shoulders. I quickly grabbed a can of soda and led her to one of the couches. Settling her in before I took a seat beside her. She smiled at me appreciatively and offered up one of her brownies.

I knew that was probably one of the best thanks I would ever get from Rose Hathaway. One thing I had noticed about Rose was that though she had no qualms helping you clear your plate, she did not share her own food with anyone. If there was anything she loved more than her friends, it was her food.

The days after saw that my mood improved as the soreness from being marked waned. Rose seemed happier after a couple days, but then started slipping into sadness once again. I hadn't seen anyone casting questions her way since the morning after, but I was beginning to wander if someone was harassing her about something when I wasn't in her presence. I noticed she had begun to argue more with Lissa until the princess stopped sitting with us all together. She began to avoid Rose by choosing to sit with her other friends at Natalie's table to avoid their daily confrontations.

A couple weeks later I found myself lying in bed as sleep avoided me. I was growing concerned about Lissa and Rose's behavior. The princess was acting erratically and I noticed the more irregular her behavior came, the more depressed Rose grew. I was trying to figure out a way to help them when I heard my window begin to slide open.

I stilled in my bed as I watched the curtains move and a moment later, the girl that had taken over my every thought came tumbling inside.

"Shit!" she hissed as she hit the floor, sliding. Coming to a stop she began pushing herself up by her hands when her eyes met mine. "Double Shit." She said causing my eyes to narrow.

"Is there a reason why you're sneaking into me room at this hour?" I asked intrigued by what she was up to.

"I didn't know it was your room." She answered defensively. "The Guardian that would normally sleep here this time of day never does."

"That still doesn't tell me why you're in my room." I said lifting a brow at her. She finally untangled herself from the curtain and sat up crossing her legs in the floor.

"I couldn't sleep and Mason and Eddie said I could come watch a movie with them. This is how I normally sneak in. The hall monitor on the female side is damn near a vulture. She has a nose that can smell escape from miles away. I learned to scale the building in order to get around her."

"So why not just scale the building and go in through their window?" I asked.

"The ledge there is weak and broken."

"Oh, so you've tried it before."

"Yeah, I'm the one that broke it."

"Why does that not surprise me? How did you manage to break a concrete ledge?"

"It was weak and when I stepped on it, it crumbled under my foot. If it wasn't for Ms. Karp, I would have gotten caught."

"Who is Ms. Karp?"

"Oh she was this really strange teacher we use to have. I guess she left while Lissa and I were away. Anyways, she saw me fall and came out to help me."

"That was nice of her." I said. We sat in silence for a moment, Rose looking lost in thought. "I can't sleep either if you want to stay here and talk. I could use the company."

"Sure. Just let me send Mase and Eddie a text so they won't think I got caught and am being hauled off to Kirova." She said as she pulled her phone from her pocket. I patted the bed next to me and grabbed the control to the television. It was one of the perks of the room that I enjoyed. Rose finished her text and joined me on the bed as we scrolled through the guide in search of something to watch.

"So what has you tossing and turning at night?" I asked her during a dull moment in the show.

"I'm worried about Lissa. There is something going on with her and she won't talk to me. She's been using a lot of magic lately too. With the bond, it makes me feel all jittery." She said not meeting my gaze.

"Is that why the two of you have been arguing a lot lately?"

"Yeah, the more magic she uses, the more unstable she is becoming. It's starting to scare me." Her voice waved in uncertainty.

"I'm sure it will all work out though. The two of you seem too close to stay upset with one another for too long."

"She's just so upset and scared right now. Between the Queen humiliating her in front of everyone and Mia harassing her she is on edge. She's doing things she shouldn't be doing in order to try and…" Her words cut off as her face took on the dazed expression she got when she was pulled into Lissa's head. It unnerved me, but I was beginning to get used to it. It seemed like it was happening more often each day.

"Lissa," I asked her as she gasped coming back to herself.

She shook her head in the affirmative and launched towards the window. "I have to go to her. Something is really wrong."

I slid my shoes on as she did the same, and out of concern for both girls, followed outside the window and down the fire escape. She ran to guest housing and as I hid in the bushes under the window, she woke her mom. I joined them at the front door.

"Novice Belikov," Guardian Hathaway questioned my presence. Rose yelled that there wasn't time for questions and took off for the Moroi dorms leaving us to follow her.


	16. Chapter 14

**Rosemarie Hathaway**

I walked into the banquet hall and after giving a Lissa a quick hug, we split ways so to go find our seats. I thought the Queen usually made her yearly visits later in the year. The fact that she chose to came so soon after Lissa and I had returned wasn't all that lost to me. I had to wonder what her motives really were.

The room fell into silence as the queen took the stage. Smiling she glanced around the room before beginning her speech. By her forced smile, I doubted this was going to be one of her cheery speeches to raise morale.

"Forgive me for barging in on your dear school nearly unannounced." She began as her eyes took a more careful glance around the Moroi section of seating. She was searching for something and when her eyes landed on Lissa, I knew she had found her target. "I had heard that you had returned Princess Dragomir. I am glad to see that you are returned to us unharmed. After losing your parents, I cannot express words that would fit the sadness that losing you, the last Dragomir would cause for on our kind."

"The loss of Rhea and Eric Dragomir, along with your brother Andre, was a true tragedy and one our people have deeply felt. We know that our sadness could never match that of yours, but you must live up to your name."

What did that mean? I thought to myself.

"Your name, my dear, is one that demands respect and dignity. From the Dragomir family line, we have been granted the most wise and justly kings and queens. You weren't just blessed with a strong family name though. Did you know the name Vasilissa is the given name to many Russian heroines? It has been given to women who have always been found to be beautiful and brave. The women from the fairy tales you are named after have always shared many qualities. They were not only strong, intelligent, and virtuous, but they were disciplined."

Okay not so bad, I guess.

"But you, Vasilissa Dragomir seemed to have forgotten this. For one that has been bequeathed two of the strongest names in our history, you have brought nothing but shame to them. Why you feel that the proper way to mourn your family is with rumors of blood whores and dead animals I do not know. It is less than reproachful behavior and you need to end it now before you become even more of an embarrassment to our kind."

Oh, that is it. I moved to stand from my chair, but felt has hands came down on my legs holding me in place. It gave me enough paused to realize what I had been about to do. Mason and Eddie had just prevented me from tackling and probably killing the Queen. Not that I could actually get to her, though. I would have to attend with half a dozen Guardians before I could ever get my hands around her thin little neck.

The minute the assembly was over, I weaved my way through people trying to catch up to Lissa. She had hastily ran from the room at the first opportunity. I caught up to her near the pond, but discovered that Natalie had already reached her. I could hear their words as I drew closer.

"It was rude of her to say that. Honestly, no one should have ever said anything like that to another person. It just isn't right." Natalie was telling her. "You should just forget about it and not let it bother you. It all will be forgotten in a few months' time. Someone else will do something just as horrible and the Queen's words will be forgotten in favor of the new hot bit of drama."

I had to admit, for as much blubbering as Natalie did, she was doing a great job at supporting Lissa.

"She was right though when she said my parents and Andre would be upset with what I did. I shouldn't have ran away. I just can't believe she would blame me for all the other stuff though. I didn't do any of it. I promise it wasn't me." Lissa cried.

"I know, I know." Natalie said as she rubbed Lissa's back.

"How could someone so cold become Queen?" Lissa asked as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

"I don't know." Nat said. "But if daddy was king, something like that would have never happened.

"They're really all the same, you know. All of the Royals are just stuck up and out for themselves. I'm so glad that your dad isn't like that. He actually cares about people's feelings." I head Lissa say.

"That is why I don't really get involved and refuse to hang out with them. You should try it. I mean, look at me, I'm just fine. I don't need the strings that come with their friendships. Daddy says that as long as I happy, I can choose my own friends."

"They are both right, Liss." I said as I reached the bench. "Natalie does just fine treading middle ground. And Prince Dashkov does care about everyone. That is why he should be ruling us instead of Queen Bitch."

Natalie nearly fell off the bench at my words. I don't think she had ever uttered anything worse than geez or darn in her life.

"There you are." Lissa said. Natalie shifted uncomfortably between us and with a small smile headed off to go find her father. He had come for the assembly but would be leaving to go home soon. "Thank you, Nat. I really appreciate what you said." Lissa told her as she walked away. With a wave, Natalie quickly walked away, leaving us to have a little alone time.

"I can't believe she still calls him Daddy." I said laughing. Lissa admonished me and told me to drop it because in the end Natalie was just a really nice person. I had to agree with her. It was just really hard to make fun of someone that was so innocently sweet.

"You know, if you want, I can kill the Queen. You know I can get past those Guardians. I am the Rose Hathaway after all."

"No Rose. Don't even think it, you will be arrested and killed for treason." Lissa gasped. Turning to look at the bare branch of a nearby bush, her face turned vacant and vulnerable.

"Whoa, don't get so long in the face. Queen B doesn't know what she is talking about. She was just being all hoity-toity. Please don't let this get to you. I don't want you getting that depressed again, Liss." I said as my eyes lowered to look at her wrists.

"It's starting to happen again, isn't it?" She asked as her hands trembled in mine.

"No, it won't get that bad again if you don't let it. You haven't tried that again have you?" I asked as I looked from her wrists to her eyes.

"No. Things have been really upsetting me lately, but not so that I have felt the need to do that again."

"That's good Liss. Promise you will come and talk to me before they get that bad though."

"I will. I've missed you Rose. Can we stop fighting over Christian though? I really like him."

"I don't know. I mean he is a psychopathic loser."

"Rose." She groaned and I bit my tongue to keep from going into a speech about how she should stay away from him. Truthfully, I liked the way she felt when he was around.

The sound of high heels clattering against the stepping stones, made me turn around. I immediately stood defensively in front of Lissa when I saw Mia Rinaldi walking our way with a condescending smile on her face.

With a haughty smile, she ignored me and took a few steps toward Lissa. "So how does it feel to know that even the Queen thinks you are the trailer trash of the Royals?"

I sidestepped around her so that I was once again between her and Lissa. "Back away, you're standing to close to her." Mia flinched and took a step back. "Why are you even gloating about this, Doll Girl? The Queen actually knows her name. I bet that is something you can't say for yourself. You are nothing but a wannabe royal. Did mommy and daddy put you up to this? Are they tired of the lives as paupers and want their poor darling little girl to marry above her station so they can pay their bills for a change?"

"At least I know who my parents are. Your father is probably any number of Moroi scum and everyone knows your mother doesn't really care about you. She probably threw a big party when you left, if she even noticed your absence at all."

"Really Mia, have you not seen my mother around campus at all? It's kind of hard to miss seeing Janine Hathaway. Trust me; my mother cares more than you think. She is actually famous not only for her Guardian skill but because of how well she advises her royal and noble charges. She, at least, does more than cleaning up after some royal family."

"Someone told me Jesse started that rumor, but it was you, wasn't it? Is that how you work? Always doing Vasilissa's dirty work? I could see it though. She is too pathetic to do anything herself, after all. Well you can't always protect her you know? And in forewarning, you're not safe either." She warned us.

"You think you can threaten me that easily? Try it and you see how Dawn felt because I won't think twice about smashing your nose in." I said as I looked back towards the school. I could see Dimitri and our other friends making their way over. My mother, following their gaze, took in the crowd that had gathered and headed them off. She pointed towards the dorms as she spoke to them, then turned and strode in my direction.

"Is everything okay out here, it is nearly curfew." I heard my mother say as she worked her way through the crowd.

"Yeah, mom, we were just trading out family stories. Everyone was awed with the one about you killing Strigoi that time in Amsterdam. Mia has an interesting story too; would you like to hear it?" I asked as Mia stood gapping at me.

Then giving me one of the coldest glares I'd ever seen, she turned to her friends telling them to follow her. I knew then that instead of making Mia want to back off, I had only pissed her off more. She was livid.

"Rosemarie, you weren't starting a fight were you?" My mom asked and I looked up giving her my most innocent smile. She grunted and placed a hand at each of Lissa and my backs. "Come on; let's get you both back to your dorms."

We walked Lissa to her dorm and after a quick hug goodnight, I followed after my mother. "I think I need to start teaching you lessons in self-control." I heard her say.

"Hey, I have plenty of self-control!" I countered, but my mother just shook her head and laughed as she pulled me indoors.

The next morning, Dimitri was absent from morning practice. Viktoria seemed very worried about it, claiming he never missed practice unless he was really sick. I had just formed a friendship with him and her worry made me really antsy too. I convinced her that if he didn't show up for our first class I would seek her out and we would both go find him.

When my first class began, I picked the sparring ring closest to the door and watched for him to walk in. Mason and Eddie had offered to partner up with me, but I waived them off. Alberta took roll call and seeing that I would be left without a partner told me that she would join me after going over today's maneuvers she wanted included in our staking practice. I nervously watched the door as time moved on.

It seemed like the next five minutes took hours to pass by, but the doors finally opened and revealed a very flushed and frustrated Dimitri. I let out a breath of relief. He wasn't sick or hurt after all.

After making sure he was okay, I quickly helped him into his protective vest. We went a handful of rounds sparring before Alberta had us move on to the weight room. Weights though allowed for me to really think, and against my better judgement, I struck up conversation with Dimitri. I found he was actually really easy to talk with and before I knew it, lunch was upon us we were still talking away.

I was secretly enjoying that he agreed to sit with my friends at lunch. Now that I had seemed to break through his stubborn exterior, I found him to be very calming. I felt relaxed and happy with him so near. Even Lissa dragging Sparky along with her for lunch didn't bother me as much as it usually would have.

The usual bantering occurred and I found that it helped to keep my mind off of tonight's Molnija ceremony. It was always in the background of my thoughts and was one of the reasons I had kept close to Dimitri today. We never spoke of it, but it was nice to be around someone that understood what I was feeling.

By the time supper rolled around, Lissa was a tense mess. I tried to talk to her about it but she shut me out and we ended up arguing. I spent the rest of dinner staring at my plate as I ate and just listening to my friends' shenanigans. I was somewhat relieved when my mother led me to the apartment to start getting ready for the Molnija ceremony.

"Shower and I will fix your hair so that it is out of the way." She told me as I set my bags down in the corner beside the door.

"I'm going to have to cut it off short, like yours, won't I?" I said sadly.

"It's not required, but I think you can wait until after graduation to make that decision." She said. "I can show you some styles that keep it out of the way and are safer than a pony tail during battles."

"I'd like that. I really like my hair."

"I do too; it reminds me of your father." She said, her eyes flashed with a touch of sadness.

"Will you ever be able to tell more me about him?" I asked without any malice or accusation.

"I tell you what, go get your shower and I will tell you a little more about that while I fix your hair."

With that our conversation ceased and I rushed to shower and dress. I dried my hair, but left it hanging loose before slipping into a pair of black jeans and black camisole. My mother was waiting for me at the dining room table when I walked out of the bathroom. She motioned to the chair beside her and I sat down, pushing my hair over my shoulders. She began talking as she brushed through the long tresses.

"You remember the story I told you not long ago? The one about the Moroi in Italy," she asked.

"Ibrahim," I stated. "Ibrahim is my father?"

"Yes. We were very much in love, but I guess I've already told you that. I requested a leave of absence so I could stay with him. When my time in Italy began to grow shorter, I couldn't bear to leave him. We had been together a year when I fell pregnant with you. It was the best year of my life. I really thought I would have everything. I would be doing my duty by protecting him from Strigoi and would still be able to have a family. So many Dhampir must choose one or the other. It is probably one of the hardest and saddest parts of our lives. At the time though, I truly did believe that I was going to be one of the luckiest of our kind."

"What happened? Why did things change?" I asked as she began to braid and twist sections of my hair.

"A couple of months before you were due to join this world, Ibrahim began to receive threats against you and me both. We were a weakness for him. His business causes him to form many enemies. Thankfully most of them aren't stupid enough to defy him. Still there are those that your father has angered to the point that they would give anything to have a chance for revenge against him."

"And they were going to use us to get revenge?"

"Yes. The things they threatened, Rose, it nearly broke your father. He wasn't able to uncover who was sending the letters and I was days from my due date. He called me into his office and without giving me a choice explained he was sending me away. He was going to hide me. I was shipped off in the middle of Human day with fake identification. When your due date came, I was thankful that you weren't ready to make your appearance. I was still being shuffled about. I was finally dropped at a Dhampir community in the middle of Southern California. You were born there, four days later." Her voice had taken on an almost dreamy tone. She was lost in her memories.

"You were such a good and beautiful baby. We stayed at the community for two years when a man brought a letter to me. I recognized the writing as your father's immediately. Inside was some cash and a letter explaining that we had been discovered and told me where to go. It was also going to be the last time your father contacted us until either we needed to be moved or it was safe. Until that point, we had used a trusted friend to pass on updates every couple months. Anyways, I made it safely to the rendezvous point with you and we were whisked off to Court of all places. When you were four I received another letter."

She had finished my hair and came to sit in the chair next to me, looking me in the face for the first time. "We don't have identification like the Humans do, but we do have documentation. Yours were originally listed under your father's last name. In his letter he explained that he had removed himself from all of the documentation on you. I brought you to the academy under his advisement and took up the Guardian job in Prague. It was hard, but I kept communication and visits with you to a minimum."

"When you disappeared, your father and I both thought…" her voice dropped as tears threatened her eyes.

"I'm okay mom, I'm here now and I'm safe." I told her as I laid my hand over her's.

"Yes, you are." She glanced down at her watch and quickly hid all of her emotions. "We better get going." We both stood and headed towards the door. Slipping on my jacket I turned to face her.

"You both really love me." I said and my mother gave a single nod of her head before opening the door.


	17. Chapter 15

**Rosemarie Hathaway**

I rushed passed the stunned dorm matron and stormed my way into Lissa's bathroom. The scene before me made me want to vomit. Blood covered Lissa and there was a puddle of it on the floor. She had promised to come and talk to me before she ever let it get this bad again.

"Lissa?" my voice was weakened with worry. She reached her hand up towards me and I saw that her wrist was unharmed but her hand was smeared with blood. "Liss, what did you do?"

"I-I, Rose it was so horrible. There was nothing I could do. It was worse than the fox." She cried as she pulled me down to her. "I tried to clean it up b-bu-but"

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay. Where is it? I'll take care of it."

"I put it in the trash can. It was the only thing I could think of at the time." Her body shook with another round of sobs. I leaned over and looked into the bin, feeling the vomit rise in my throat. Whatever was in there was unidentifiable. It was nothing but a blob of bloody fur and smashed bones. I looked back towards the door where my mother stood.

"Let's get you out of here and go get you cleaned up. This will all be gone by the time you're done." I told Lissa as I helped her off the floor and into her bedroom. Sitting her down in her desk chair I returned to the bathroom for a clean cloth.

As gently as I could, I began cleaning the blood off her hands and arms, watching for any wounds. I had just finished cleaning her up when I saw my mother move from her post in the doorway to let Kirova and Dr. Olendzki inside. Stan and Alberta were right behind them.

"Do you still think this is some high school bullying? Look at this place. Look at Lissa, Kirova. Look really good because this is the last time you will ever see"

"Guardian Alto, please remove Miss Hathaway." Kirova snapped. Stan's eye slightly twitched as he looked in my direction. He took the few steps to reach me and I gave him my best 'I dare you' glare. With a sigh, he grabbed my arm and began pulling me from the room.

"Mom, don't let them do this." I yelled as I saw Dr. Olendzki give Lissa a sedative. "I need to stay with her." I was struggling to break free of Stan's hold.

"Guardian Hathaway, calm your daughter before I have her removed from more than this room." Kirova said coolly. The meaning behind the threat was like ice water and I gave up my fight allowing Stan to lead me from the room. My mother stepped out in the hall behind us and told me she would meet me back at the apartment.

Stan's grip on my arm never loosened as pulled me down the hall. When we reached the door leading to the commons I tried to break free. "Please Guardian Alto, you don't understand. Let me go back, please?"

"Lissa is safe now. They're moving her to another room while they sort things out. Your presence isn't needed Miss Hathaway. For once will you just do what you're told?" He said as he slightly jerked me forward giving me no choice but to exit out the door. "Novice Belikov," I heard Stan question in surprise. "Hell, I don't think it makes a difference right now." He mumbled to himself. Then speaking to Dimitri began barking orders again. "Come on, you need to get back to your room. I hope you don't make it a habit to be out during curfew, Hathaway is enough trouble as it is."

"Hey, is that a compliment, Stan?" I smirked at Guardian Alto. With a seething gaze, he tightened his grip and began to walk faster. "I think it was. Aww, you actually like me. It's okay Stanley, I promise not to tell."

"That's enough Hathaway." He growled at me. We had reached the Dhampir dorms and Dimitri disappeared inside after extending a quiet goodnight. "Cooperation is in your best interest right now Miss Hathaway. No more jokes and no trying to escape, okay?" Stan said as he began pulling me towards guest housing.

"Is Lissa going to be left alone because she really shouldn't be?"

"No, your mother will be staying with her tonight at the infirmary."

"Why are they taking her there?"

"It's not really your concern" Stan began again.

"She's my best friend, and she is scared. I am her Guardian, or at least I will be, so it is my concern."

"They just want to observe her overnight. Now will you stop stalling and go inside?" He was growing tired of me.

"Fine," I said. "But if anything else happens to her"

"Nothing else will happen. Go inside, now." He told me as he pointed towards the door. I turned and stomped into the building and up to my room. Plopping face first onto my bed I cried into the blankets until sleep overtook me. Lissa and my emotions were riding high and they were taking their toll on me.

Lissa seemed to all smiles and happiness the next day, but I could feel the anger still boiling inside her. Her use of compulsion grew tenfold over the next few days. It was making me irritable. By the third day I felt as if I was going to crawl out of my skin. Lissa wouldn't listen and was back to nearly ignoring me again. By the time classes dismissed, I was ready for the extra practice session.

Today my mom had us working on offensive exercises. She had tossed a bunch of different items onto the field telling us we could use anything within reach as makeshift weapons. I struck out at Dimitri as soon as she yelled go and relentlessly attacked him with a padded shoto knife. My aim was tacky at best and I was only able to land a handful of blows to him. Each one would cause me to bounce back and become more aggressive. He never said anything, probably thinking that I needed to work through whatever had been bothering me. It didn't seem like I was doing much damage to him anyhow.

Dimitri just stood his ground, blocking my swings as much as possible, and allowed me to attack him over and over again. Each swing brought a new mental image to me: Ralf, Jesse, Mia. Each of them had been cruel towards Lissa and me since we had returned. Mia was the mastermind, I was sure, but Ralf and Jesse were acting as her evil minions.

I wasn't sure how long I kept battering him with the padded weapon, but when my mother stormed over and kicked it from my hands, I was soaked in sweat and gasping for breath. Dimitri was just as worn out, but he still stood in nearly the same spot that he had begun in, looking at me with concern.

"Put everything away. We're done for today." She said sternly. I bent down and grabbed what I could in my arms and stomped off the field without giving anyone a second glance. Dimitri's long legs allowed him to easily keep pace with me, but still I refused to look at him.

We had made it to the supply room and was stowing the items away when he grabbed my wrist, swearing in Russian. I could recognize the words as such, but everyone refused to tell me what they meant, claiming I already had enough vulgarity in my vocabulary.

"Your hands, don't you have gloves?" He asked softly. Taking a glance at my hands I was surprised at what I found. The cold weather had made them dry and cracked, but I wasn't expecting to find them blistered and bleeding.

"No, I never needed them in Portland and I forgot to get new ones once we got back."

"Forgot to get what?" I heard my mother behind me. I tried to pull my wrist from Dimitri's hold, but he was able to overpower me and pull my arm up so she could see my damaged hands. She let her own swears fall and pulled a first aid kit from one of the shelves. She cleaned away the blood and applied salve to the blisters. "We'll get you some gloves." She said as she bandaged them and sent me off to get dinner.

"Where's Vika?" I asked Dimitri as we walked towards the cafeteria. She had a way of disappearing when I wasn't in my better moods.

"I told her we would meet her after you got patched up."

"I guess this is how it starts, huh?"

"How what starts?"

"Me, turning into my mother and Alberta, they- all female Guardians- they're all leathery looking. All the fighting and training took its toll on them. It robbed them of being pretty. This life, it destroys us."

He took my arm in his hand and turned me to face him. His brown eyes warmed and I felt my heart begin to do little flips in my chest. I cursed my crush on him. I wished I could fight against it, but every time he looked at me like that, it made it harder to push the feelings away.

"That will never happen to you. You're too beautiful for anything like that to happen."

He looked back at my hands. He thought I was beautiful. I knew a lot of the boys thought so, but surely after a few years of being weather and battle beaten their opinions would change.

"Except for my hair and my eyes, I look just like my mom. She use to be really pretty, a lot prettier than she is now. This life has slowly robbed her of it." Sourly, I added, "It's already robbed us both of things."

"You haven't always liked your mother have you?" I forgot how observant he could be.

"Yeah, she wasn't around much before now."

"But, you're getting to know her now?"

"Still, she had to abandon me to be raised by the academy."

"Was there anything else she could have done? You want to be a Guardian yourself. Graduating and guarding Lissa means a lot to you. It means just as much to you as getting to guard Ivan means to me. Do you think your mother feels any different than we do? Should she have given up her dreams for you and played Susie Homemaker when you were going to be at the academy anyways?"

"You're too reasonable sometimes. You make me sound like a hypocrite."

"I'm just saying you shouldn't hold a grudge against her. She is very respected by our kind and she has put you on a path to become just as respected."

"I guess you're right. She did raise me for my first four years, even if it was amongst the blood whores."

"It's not all bad, you know. I grew up in a Dhampir community."

"Oh, I didn't mean anything bad by it. I'm sorry if I offended you." I broke eye contact with him, but he cupped my chin bringing my gaze back.

"It's okay. Really, it's fine. Vika and I both were raised there, along with our other two sisters. I didn't get to see them much, other than Vika, once we started school but we still talked. Dhampir communities are more about family than they are blood whoring."

I felt a little jealous at that point. He was loved and cherished by his disgraced mother, when my respectable mother never had time for me. "Wasn't it weird though when the Moroi men came around? Were there a bunch of them?"

"Not always, but at times." His brown eyes began to harden and I knew that I had unintentionally struck a nerve.

"I'm sorry, I said something that brought up bad memories didn't I?"

"Yeah," He smiled tightly at me, and then the corner of his lips twitched. "You'll probably enjoy the story. Do you know your father?"

"No. My mother has told me some things about him, but I've never met him. I could walk right by him and not know who he is. Of course he has to have really awesome hair." I chuckled as I gently ran a hand over my pony tail. It did its trick and brought a full smile to Dimitri's lips.

I knew my father." He said hesitantly.

"Really," I asked.

"Yeah, he liked my mom very much and would visit often. He is the father to all of my siblings too. But when he came, he did some very cruel things to my mother." His words seemed guarded and were spoken between clenched teeth.

"Oh. Did he make her do blood whore things?" I spoke softly, hesitant to offend him again.

He smile turned sad and he shook his head. "More like beating her up type things."

"That's horrible! She let him do that? Did he hurt you too?" I gripped his hands tighter.

"He never hurt me, but I did him." He said flatly. I grew excited though.

"You hurt your dad?"

"Yes. When I was fourteen"

"You beat up your dad when you were fourteen? You really are a Russian God, aren't you?"

"What?" He looked slightly shocked.

"That's what everyone is calling you. I'm sorry that had to happen."

"It's okay. He was just a Royal Moroi that needed to learn he couldn't take advantage of women."

"Is that why you stood up for me that day? I heard about what you said."

"I said what I did to those jerks for many reasons, but yeah that was one of them."

"The things they are saying, that I let"

"I know they're lying. At first I wasn't sure, but even still" His words cut off and he gave me a confident smile. "I got to know you and I know you wouldn't do that."

"I'm surprised. Everyone else think I have. They all think I am just a big failure."

"I don't. I think you have great character, you're going to be a great Guardian."

"You really have that much faith in me?" I asked meekly. He nodded his head, his smile expanding even more. "I don't think I can follow all of the rules though."

Dimitri began to laugh aloud at my words. "When have you ever followed all of the rules?" Then raising one eyebrow asked, "Which rule do you think you can't follow?"

"I don't want to cut my hair off." I said. My mother told me I wouldn't but she may have been placating me.

"You don't have too. I've seen Guardians with long hair before."

"Then I won't be able to show off my markings." I said slightly frowning. He reached up and began twirling a lock of my hair around his finger, then dropped it looking embarrassed.

"Don't cut it, just wear it up." He said huskily. His voice robbed me of speech as my eyes locked onto his. He turned away from me and began leading me to the cafeteria again, as a small smile played over both of our lips.

We made our way to the line and I found myself directly behind Natalie and Lissa. Natalie was asking Lissa if she wanted to join in a movie night with her and her friends. Lissa explained that she had already made plans with Camille Conta.

"They seem to be liking you more these days." Natalie said with a hint of suspicion. Lissa couldn't risk Natalie's errant thoughts to turn into actual accusations of compulsion so she offered to join them after she was done with Camille.

Lissa still kept up her compulsion though and I was getting fed up with the shaky and itchy feelings that it left behind. I cornered her in church her a few days later. I warned her that if she kept it up, it was going to come back to bite her in the ass. Being Lissa, she played it off, but when a couple of guys further down the pew started staring at me and laughing, she stared them down.

"Apologize to her and make it believable." She told them, never taking her eyes off them. Less than a second later they were tripping over themselves begging me to forgive them. Deciding they weren't doing a well enough job she started to compel them again.

I could feel the strain that compelling two people at the same time was taking on her and touching her arm I told her that it was okay. She not only had the boys scared of her, but the amount of compulsion she could weld had me nearly terrified. "I accept their apologies. Let it go, please?" I told her as the priest began the services.

I saw Christian standing beside the door waiting for Lissa when the services ended. "I need to talk to you." I whispered to him when Lissa turned to hug Mason hello. Mason then skidded around Lissa to stand beside me, tossing an arm around my shoulder. I felt a hand on my ass, and thinking it was Mason, turned to punch him in the arm. Instead I found Miles and Anthony, two other novices, standing close by.

"I don't have fangs, but there is something else I can give you." Anthony laughed suggestively.

Mason glared at him, and then pulled me out the door. Miles blocked the path though and grabbed my waist, sliding his hand to my butt. "Take your hand off my ass before I break it." I said through my teeth. Mason jerked me away from his hold.

"Come on Ashford, share. She likes taking on more than one guy at a time."

"Shut up and leave her alone. Say one thing more and I am going to rip your head from your neck." Mason snapped at him.

"Oh, feeling protective of the Blood" Anthony said but his words were cut short by Mason's fist meeting his nose. Anthony's eyes went wide and he lunged towards Mason, but Dimitri grabbed his collar and tossed him to the ground. Miles started to step up to defend his friend but the clearing of a throat stopped everyone in their tracks.

My mother was standing behind me now, a small smile on her face. "I didn't realize you young people where so enthusiastic over sermons. I hope I'm not interrupting." Anthony and Miles just looked at one another and told Mason they would catch up to him later. When they were out of sight, I turned on Mason and Dimitri.

Dimitri swallowed and found something interesting to ask my mom suddenly. Mason tossed his hands up and shrugged. "You're welcome." He said with a slight grin.

"I can defend myself you know."

"I know, but I was just trying to help." He said, looking a bit wounded.

"Aw, Ducky, I'm not the usual Damsel in Distress. You don't have to treat me like-well like a girl."

"But you are a girl." Mason said looking at me as if I had lost a marble or two. He started looking a little deflated and I knew he had meant well.

"Fine, your hero thing might be a little hot in principal, but I don't really approve. I know you probably get off on it though."

"Hey, you don't know what gets me off!" He wagged his eyebrows at his double entendre. "Saving damsels is more about honor anyhow."

"And you're honorable?"

"Of course," He scoffed at me.

"Are you willing to prove it?" I asked him.

"Sure."

"I need a huge favor."

"Anything, ask and I will deliver."

"Can you ask Christian to get me some books from the church attic?"

"Christian Ozera?" He questioned uneasily.

"Don't be put off. I really need the help. I would ask myself, but I can't ever catch him when Lissa isn't around. Plus he has sat with us at lunch every day for the last couple months. You aren't still afraid of him, are you?"

"How does Christian Ozera help to prove my honor?" He asked. Seeing that he was completely against the idea, I sighed and started to walk away.

"Wait- What books do you need. I'll talk to him."

"Anything on St Vladimir, the actual Saint, Tell him it's to help Lissa and he will do it. I need him to smuggle them out to me as soon as he can, without Lissa knowing." I explained. Mason nodded and after assuring me he would do it, headed off to get lunch.


	18. Chapter 16

**Rosemarie Hathaway**

 _Warning: This chapter contains Mature Material_

Mason scored! He caught me on the way to breakfast with a box full of dusty books. It took me days to leaf through them all, but I was able to gather some information.

· Saint Vladimir was thought to be full of madness by some and Spirit by others

· He could use mass Compulsion, even over Moroi and Dhampir (I only knew of one other Vampire who could do that-Lissa)

· Vladimir could heal plants and animals

· Using that kind of power had made him crazy and depressed

· Making everything even more weird, Anna was always referred to as being shadow-kissed

· Anna was his Guardian

· Vladimir had saved Anna's life when she was a child

I had first heard the words shadow-kissed from one of my old teachers, Ms. Karp. I had not seen her since we had returned; she had been carted off and had chosen to turn Strigoi. When I raised questions about her, everyone grew hushed and would placate me with saying things along the lines of "Ms. Karp is no longer with us." I needed answers. Ones I felt that only she could give. Leaning back against my bed, I let the memory of the last time I had seen her come to surface in hopes that it might hold answers.

 _"You're shadow-kissed! You have to take care of her!" she shouted at me. "Do you understand?"_

 _"No." I said as she shoved me against into a wall, holding me there. I probably could have fought her off, but I was too shocked at her actions._

 _"They're coming for me, they'll come for her."_

 _"Who?"_

 _"Lissa, you have to protect her. The more she uses it, the worse it'll get. Stop her, Rose. Stop her before they notice, before they notice and take her away too. Get her out of here."_

 _"What do you mean? Get her out of…you mean the Academy?"_

 _"Yes, you have to leave. You're bound. It's up to you. Take her away from this place."_

 _Feet pounded in the hallway, and a group of guardians rounded the corner. They weren't from the school and they pried her off of me. Someone asked if I was okay, but I couldn't stop staring at Ms. Karp as she wildly thrashed against their hold._

 _"Don't let her use the power!" she screamed. "Save her. Save her from herself."_

 _Later I was told that she had been taken to a place where she could recover. They told me she would be safe and cared for. She would recover. Only she hadn't._

My brain was on overdrive and I needed a break. For now I just settled with the fact the Lissa, Ms. Karp, and St. Vladimir seemed to have a lot of shared qualities. I pushed all thoughts on it from my head, beginning to feel like the tiny apartment was closing in on me. My mom was on Guardian duty tonight, so trying not to think about what had happened last time I snuck out, I slipped out of my window. I didn't really have anywhere to go and Lissa was sleeping. Since Dimitri was a good sport last time, and we had been getting along great, I decided he would do.

My entrance into his room was much more graceful this time. I stood up flashing my best 'magician' pose, only to see that the room was empty. Disappointed, I turned to leave back out the window, but the sound of his shower reached my ears. I closed the window and plopped down on his bed to wait.

A few minutes later the door opened, letting out a cloud of steam. Behind that, Dimitri entered his room only wearing a towel around his waist. Perhaps I should have thought this through a little more.

"Rose?" He was frozen in shock as he noticed me.

"See something you like?" I smiled at him as my eyes roamed his muscular frame.

"Sweet Molasses," I murmured as I met his molten brown eyes.

"I-um-give me a minute to-uh," He fisted his towel to keep it from slipping and quickly grabbed some sweat pants from his dresser.

"Just let me get dressed." He said as he disappeared into the bathroom. I took a little glee in the fact that in his haste he had forgotten a shirt. I removed my jacket and shoes while I waited. I was just leaning over to grab his TV remote when he came back out. "What are you doing back so soon?" He asked me, giving me one of his lopsided grins.

"I figured I still owed you a movie night since our last one got botched." I answered, keeping my attention on scrolling through the guide. I was a bit nervous of what I might do if I looked at him right then. I knew all he was wearing was a simple pair of sweatpants and that thought alone had my mind racing.

"Won't your mother notice you are missing?"

"Nah, she has guard duty tonight." I told him as he lowered himself into the bed next to me. "So, what's good on here?" I asked as I pointed to the television with the remote.

He shrugged at me. "I usually just watch channel 538."

"Oh." I punched in the channel numbers only to be met with an old western movie. "John Wayne? You gotta be kidding me, Comrade!"

"I like John Wayne. He has a lot of good movies."

"You watch westerns….for fun?" I asked trying to hold back my smile.

"Have you ever actually watched one of his movies?"

"Well no, I've never seen the point of watching a movie that was made before I was born, not for fun, at least." I told him. He smiled and yanked the remote from my hand.

"Tonight you do." He said laughing as I scowled at him and tried to wrestle back the controller. Dimitri stilled under me. In my haste to grab for the remote, I had come to lay stretched out on top of him. I felt his body react to the position and I looked up to meet his smoldering gaze.

Dimitri dropped the remote to the floor and bringing his hands to my arms, slid me up his body until our lips were so close they nearly touched as he spoke. "Why do you haunt me so, Roza?" His lips then brushed mine, once, twice, before settling firmly. He pressed my lips apart and I met him in an openmouthed kiss that quickly ignited the hunger I tried to avoid when around him.

At just one taste of him the ever-present embers of passion began to rage inside me. Being close to him always brought the need for what was forbidden. He rolled us over and tilting his head forward, pushed me further into the pillows. I wound my arms around him, one arm around his shoulders and the other gripping his damp hair. His hand ran down my side and snaked beneath me. His large palm cupped my derriere pulling me closer, as he ground his rapidly swelling shaft against me. He made a rough sound deep in his throat and for a moment all edges of reason faded away. He pressed kiss after intoxicating kiss along my mouth and throat.

I gasped as his mouth found the sensitive spot just below my ear. He nipped the area and then soothed it with his tongue making me shudder. I pulled him back to my lips. His tongue skated along the ridges of my teeth, probing beyond them, flicking the sensitive roof of my mouth. I sucked delicately on his tongue causing him to groan into my mouth.

He pulled away from me, avoiding my movements as I tried to follow. "What are we doing Roza?" He asked against my ear, his voice a guttural rasp. My body trembled as his breath slid over my heated flesh.

Rational thought fully returned to me, although desire still sped through my veins. "Not all the way, just above the waist." I whispered, though I wanted more. When he was this close to me, I wanted everything. I respected him more for giving me the choice. I knew that he would respect my boundaries and not push for more than I was willing to give.

At my response his fingers tightened on my waist before he consciously untensed them, caressing the taught skin apologetically. He nuzzled my ear and my throat, dropping kisses in random patterns against my heated skin.

He pulled away from me as he unfastened the band I'd used to tie my hair up. He ran his hands through the thick mass of curls, smoothing them against my shoulders. Dimitri then buried his face in the scent of my hair. "It's gorgeous," he said thickly. "You should wear it down more often."

I swallowed. He had made the simple act of untwining my hair so sensuous I was unable to concentrate on his words, much less respond to them. "It's…easier…to keep…it back. Then it doesn't" my words broke off as he began to press soft kisses at the corner of my mouth. "get in my way during training."

He kissed me softly then, his hands slowly moved up to cup my breasts. His kiss changed, became deeper, more passionate. While we explored each other's mouths, he slowly ran his hands down my stomach before hooking the bottom of my tank top and inching it upwards.

Leaning back he stared down at my lace demi bra that was the last barrier between our chests and swallowed hard. One finger began tracing where my skin met the frilly edge of lace. Then dipping inside the bra, his fingers splayed wide at each side of my breasts, he lifted them free of the material with his thumbs. His tongue dipped into the crevice that he created. His head lifted at my gasp and his eyes locked onto mine.

Slowly his hands slid to my back, lifting me towards him. He unclasped my bra and pushed my shirt off my shoulders and over my head. His hands went back to my waist stroking the skin lightly. I trembled under his gaze as he slid the scanty material of my bra from my body. He groaned audibly as he gazed down at me, bared to the waist.

Lowering his head, he flicked one peach colored nipple with his tongue, wetting it, teasing it to a tighter point. With a low growl he took it into his mouth, suckling deeply. I moaned, as my fingers dug into his shoulders. His free hand was stroking my other breast, kneading it gently as his thumb rasped its nipple. He took his time pleasuring one breast before switching to the other. Wetting one nipple generously with his tongue, he then gently blew on it, pulling another moan from my lips.

I had played around like this with other boys in the past, but none of them were as gentle and caring as Dimitri was. I never knew my breasts could be so sensitive, so sensual. I wondered if it would be the same for him.

I slid my hands down his back and up his sides. As I moved them between his, he lifted away a bit so I could caress his chest. His breath hissed as he drew it in. Sliding my hands over his pecs, I settled one finger along his sternum and slid it down following the line of his abdominal muscles. When I reached his waistband, he caught my hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss on my palm.

"As much as I enjoy your hands on me, if you move any lower, I'm not sure I can maintain my control. I'm too close as it is." He said huskily.

I blushed at his admission, but something inside me swelled with pride that I could make him feel that way. I tested my newfound power by peppering kisses along his chest, flicking my tongue against his buttoned nipple as he had done me. Suddenly we were shifting as Dimitri rolled over, pulling me on top of him. He lifted me above him so that my breasts swayed dangerously close to his lips. Once again he closed his mouth around a nipple, batting at it playfully with his tongue. I closed my eyes and pressed demandingly closer to his mouth. He heeded my unspoken request as he flexed his cheeks and he suckled strongly.

I felt a sob of pleasure escape me and unconsciously moved on top of him, squirming and rubbing against his bigger, harder body. The movements were sending me out of orbit, and I ground against his swollen member, seeking friction and crying out his name. Dimitri's hands went to my jean clad bottom and stilled my movements. I opened my eyes to see that his brown eyes had darkened to nearly black.

"Roza," He growled in warning as he impatiently flipped us over again. My hands began roaming again as he landed partially on top of me. He captured my wrists in his hands and trapped them above my head. He leaned down; his mouth attacked mine deeper and wilder than before. He let go of one of my wrists and brought his hand down to trace intricate designs along her stomach, circling my navel before he griped my hip and slid my legs to rest on either side of his.

I gasped, opening my mouth wider to the onslaught of his tongue as his fingers gently bit into my flesh and he ground his hard ridge against my most intimate area. I trembled at the electrical shock that expanded outward from my core. I was on fire and couldn't control the whimpers that escaped from my throat. I could feel how hard his throbbing manhood was through our clothing and for the first time I felt a brief flare of alarm as panic began to well inside me. I sat up on the bed as uncertainty washed over me.

Dimitri moved to sit next to me, giving me a soothing embrace. Lifting my chin with one finger he forced me to meet his eyes. "Nothing will happen unless you want it to. I'm willing to go only as far as you want." He whispered hoarsely.

I nodded my head, in that moment I trusted him completely. "Do you think we could watch a movie now?" I asked unsure if I could stay within my own boundaries.

Dimitri gave me an understanding smile before brushing his lips across my cheek. "Of course," he said as he settled against the pillows and tucked my in the crook of his arm. "I think the remote is lost, so you're stuck with a John Wayne movie."

"It's okay. Who knows, maybe I'll learn how to ride a horse or something." I smiled up at him not realizing the effect my words would have until his eyes began to darken with need again. He quickly blinked and snuggled me closer to him, turning his attention to the television. We sat in comfortable silence as we allowed our emotions to calm under the droning of horse hoofs and gunshots.

Eventually Dimitri began to doze off and after a chaste kiss goodnight, I redressed and slipped out of his window and slowly made my way to my bed. Sleep came easily now that my mind and body had relaxed of the built up tension I had been harboring.

 _I really struggled with how far I wanted to go with this chapter. I feel that without the mentor/student/age difference between Dimitri and Rose that they would have had some heavy moments sooner, I just wasn't ready for Rose to lose her virginity…yet….though that chapter is already written *wink wink* I'm working up to it…slowly._


	19. Chapter 17

**Dimitri Belikov**

 **(Another Mature Chapter)**

The weeks wore on monotonously, except for one wonderful and welcomed change. Rose Hathaway would steal away to my room every Friday night while her mother was fulfilling Guardian duties. We never went further than we had that first night. Each time I would watch as she slipped along the edges of the courtyard as she headed back to her room. Once she was out of sight I would slip into the shower and masturbate to the memory of her half undressed body. I wanted nothing more than to peel away the layers of clothing below her slim waist and explore the treasures that hid beneath, but I would not push Rose to do anything more until she was ready.

I was sure that maybe a few stories might hold merit, but I doubted it was anywhere near what the rumors led one to believe. Rose wasn't loose with her sexual favors. I myself had had a few flings here and there since starting high school and I was betting that Rose's record was probably closer to mine.

If anyone had noticed that Rose and I were always together during practice, shared classes, and meals; they never said anything to us. Of course that may have been because of the death glares I would send anyone who so much as looked wrongly in her direction. Though it wasn't something I would brag openly about, I had a decent reputation as the kickass Russian God due to not only my Molnija marks, but also my excellent skill and training. It worked well to keep people away from her while I was near.

Another thing that seemed to have changed was that Lissa and Rose had seemed to have started working out their differences. They were on talking terms again. Rose and Christian seemed to have formed some sort of understanding between themselves. Though they still slung rude comments to one another, it often ended with them both smiling and laughing.

The Equinox Dance was in just a few hours and the girls were all cooped up in Lissa's dorm room getting ready. Headmistress Kirova agreed to lift Rose's ban on social engagements with a few conditions. I think that Prince Dashkov and Guardian Hathaway had a lot to do with that. Rose had mostly followed the rules that were previously placed on her and the few times she didn't and had gotten caught, were for a good reason. Headmistress Kirova had overlooked her failure to follow the rules when Lissa was in trouble.

She was beautiful. I had never imagined that the black dress would hug her the way it did. Lissa was right; the dress had been made for Rose. As she walked closer, the light glinted off of the intricate bit of silver sitting just above the swell of her breasts. I swallowed thickly as she paused for just a second and her smoldering gaze entrapped me.

She took another step forward and my eyes were drawn to her satin encased hips. Their natural sway was hypnotic. Her heels elongated her already long, toned legs. Yes, Rose Hathaway was breathtaking and right now I would do anything to have those legs wrapped around my waist, my hands gripping her hips as I pulled her closer, kissing the very spot that her necklace rested.

At this very moment, I was starving and the only thing that was going to appease my appetite was her. Once she drew closer, I took her hand in mine, leading her to dance. The music had slowed and I had every intention of keeping her body as close to mine as I could get. By the time the night was over, I was going to claim her in every way.

Her hand trembled as she slid it up my arm and onto my shoulder. Using my free hand, I ran it down the center of her back and to her hip. Guiding her flush against me, I felt her anticipated shudder. My already half-alert cock swelled rock hard against her stomach. I moved my hand from her hip to her back again. I pushed her closer, wanting her to feel what she did to me.

Her face turned up towards mine; a gasp leaving her mouth open. I wasted no time in taking advantage of it by crashing my lips to hers and plunging my tongue inside. Swirling and lapping until her shock gave way and she met each stroke and swipe of my tongue with her own.

I nearly forgot the music that surrounded us until we pulled away, gasping for breath. Ivan stood just behind Rose, Vika wide-eyed at his side. I wanted to rip his stunned yet smug face off his shoulders, but it was enough to make me realize that we stood in a roomful of other students and teachers. Keeping Rose held tightly against me, I began to lead her in a small swaying dance.

Each step changed the pressure of her body against mine causing my aroused member to twitch between us. Through the fabric of our clothes I could feel her body growing more heated with every shuddered breath she took.

When to song ended I could no longer wait, I carefully led her outside and keeping to the shadows, safely to my room.

The door was no sooner closed and locked behind us when I tossed my jacket aside and pinned her against it, seizing her mouth with mine again. I raked my hands up her body and finding the fabric of her dress offensive; I quickly worked the zipper and all but tore it from her body. Unclasping the thin material she claimed was a bra, I let it fall to the floor between us.

Trailing my hands down her side, I grasped her hips and pulled her upwards, wrapping her legs around my waist. This is what I was dreaming of, what I needed. I began placing soft suckling kisses from the corner of her mouth downward, but was unable to reach where I wanted to taste her from this angle. I turned and keeping her wound around my body, slowly moved us toward the bed.

I gently laid her down, straddling her legs, as I began my mouth's descent on her body once more. Rose's hands fisted in my hair as I gently pushed aside the delicate necklace to nip and suckle the skin beneath. Running my tongue across the area to sooth the slight reddening my teeth had left behind. I trailed fluttering kisses down to her hardened left nipple, flicked it with my tongue and drew it into my mouth. Bringing my other hand up I began to palm her right breast as I released the strained bud and began tasting the silky skin around it. Rose buried her hands in my hair as she tried pushing me closer, her body writhing beneath me.

The gentle scrape of my teeth against the pert pink nub elicited a moan from her lips. Switching sides I began my oral ministrations to her right breast as my hand replaced my mouth on her left.

Rose was mewling and thrashing beneath me. Her hands had worked their way to my collar and she was tugging at the fabric. Releasing the taught bead I was toying with, I began to help her release the buttons. Rose was sliding her hands up my abdomen and chest, pushing my cotton undershirt up, before I could slip my arms from my sleeves. In seconds I was just as naked from the waist up as she was. I lowered my head down to capture her mouth once more in mine. Our bare chests met and we both groaned in pleasure.

Rose broke away from the kiss and began her own explorations of my chest and shoulders. Gripping her waist, I rolled us over, hissing as her satin covered core ground against my manhood. She began placing hot open mouthed kisses from my jaw to my neck. Lightly nipping my earlobe, she once again ground against me drawing growls of pleasure from us both. I ran my hands across her rib cage and down her back causing her to buck against me, her tits jutting up and outwards. The wetness between her legs was beginning to soak through our clothes.

My constraint was beginning to wear thin, so I pulled her down against my chest, rolling us to lie on our sides facing one another. Sucking her bottom lip in between my teeth, I gently pushed her shoulders flush against the mattress. I ran my hand from her shoulder to her thigh. Tracing intricate shapes to the inside of her thighs my thumb brushed the area where her leg and slick folds met.

"So beautiful Roza." I whispered as I began to trace the skin just above her belly button, following the path of my fingers down to the top most band of her panties. Hooking the index finger under the cloth, I slowly unveiled the secret paradise within. Her breath hitched and stilled. Feeling her slight hesitation I looked up into her darkened eyes. "Is it too much, Rosa?" I asked. She slowly shook her head no, as I softly blew against the wet lips between her thighs.

"I've never" she whispered.

"We'll go slow, I'll stop when you want." I promised as I reached behind her neck and pulled her lips to mine, cupping her sex.

"Oh god!" She moaned into my mouth. With a small tug to her bottom lip, I broke the kiss to stare into her eyes. Moving my hand upwards, I tenderly stroked and spread the petals surrounding her core. When I reached the throbbing pearl at their apex, her head fell back as she released a loud moan above me.

I circled the hooded bundle of nerves three times before dipping my finger down and gathering more of her sweetened juices. Bring my fingers back to the hidden nub; I circled it again before gently pinching it. With a quick gentle tug I released her at the same time I let my breath feather over the hot, moistened skin.

Roza screamed out as her body flexed in pleasure. Her eyes went wide before closing. She was so sensitive to my touch, so responsive. I slid my hand down, and keeping pressure on that special blossom with the pad of my thumb, I slid a single finger into her heated core. Slipping my other hand from behind her neck, I cupped her face, tracing her lips with my thumb.

When her eyes opened, I gently rotated my finger incased within her. I felt as her walls clenched against me. Roza was so tight, so wet. Rotating my finger back the other way, I slowly began to pull out never breaking eye contact with her. I traced a circle around the outside of her heavenly well at the same time I rubbed her clit in a circular motion. Rosa whimpered and I pushed my finger back inside, giving her a few gentle come hither motions. She was drawing close. I lowered my head, sucking one of her once abandoned nipples into my mouth; I began pumping my finger slowly; drawing my name from her in a whispered breath. I felt her thighs tremble next to chest, and quickened my pace. I released her breast with a scrape of my teeth across her sensitive nipple. Roza screamed my name as her already tight cunt clenched my finger and her face fell away from my hand.

I felt as her necklace somehow caught on my hand and gave way. I caught the warm metal in my palm. Looking up to apologize for my carelessness of the gift, I saw her face contort from dazed happiness to absolute fear.

 _I never thought I would get this written. I work for the state department handling Elderly abuse cases. I had a big case dropped on my desk last week. It was horrible and sad and broke my heart. I just didn't feel like writing for a bit, and I am sorry that you all had to suffer from that too. There are some evil, evil people in this world that need a very special place in hell to rot!_

 _My niece (I raised her from the age of 4 so she is more like a second daughter in many ways) went into labor Saturday and I spent 33 hours at her side coaching her through labor. She ended up having an emergency C-section because the baby went into distress. Mom and baby are both doing great now! She had a beautiful baby girl! Needless to say, my mood improved a lot, so I started writing the first half of the chapter on Sunday but I started feeling tired and worn out and ended up sleeping off and on the rest of the day._

 _Yesterday I felt really off kilter, but lumped it up as just getting too much sleep, but halfway through the day at work I ended up with a sore throat and going from freezing to sweating every few minutes. Once again I spent the evening in and out of sleep. I woke up today feeling like a mac truck had ran me over, but like an idiot I sucked it up and made myself go to work …for less than an hour. My body revolted on me and after a not so quick trip to the doctor, discovered I have the flu…yay…..not! So I raise my ginger ale in salute, I somehow miraculously finished the chapter and have kept the puppy from removing and running off with one of the socks on my feet. (He attacked and carried the other one to the other side of the room after I refused to play fetch)._


	20. I'm better and coming back, but first

Well, I know I have been off the radar for what has felt like months, but I am doing much better now. My health is finally improving! I am going to start writing again soon, the only problem is, I am not sure I can continue this story just yet. I just need to get the feel for it again. Although I have not been writing, I have done a lot of reading and sadly in doing so, I feel that I need to clear those stories from my mind so I can keep my writing completely original, or as original as possible anyhow.

On a side note…Swimming your last story was pure evil ingenuity! I love your stories. Every single one of them has been above the top, but right now I am giving you the stink eye! Why, because I don't know if I am scared that your most recent story will end as you have it or sad that maybe the ending I was working myself up to and expecting may not happen. I hope for a continuation…I really do….

So this is me on my knees with a snotty nose and crocodile tears begging you…..Please do not let that story end there? Please? Pretty, pretty please with sugar on top?


	21. Chapter 18

**Rosemarie Hathaway**

I don't know how to explain it. One second I wanted Dimitri so much that I had no other thoughts but to give myself to him fully. The next, was like waking up from a dream too suddenly as what we were about to do slammed into my mind so ferociously that I was left winded. Without mercy I was pulled into Lissa's head before I could really ponder what had almost happened. "Rose, Help!" She kept screaming in her mind over and over.

"Dimitri, we have to find my mother now!" I yelled at him as I began to pull on my clothing. Dimitri stood still looking at the bed in shock. "Hey, everything is okay, but we need to find my mom, Lissa is in trouble. Someone's taken her." I told him as I laid a hand on his arm. That seemed to pull him from his thoughts as he quickly began to dress. He had no sooner gotten his shoes on when I tossed his door open, uncaring if the hall monitor caught me. We ran side by side downstairs and into the Moroi evening.

I knew my mother could be just about anywhere on campus, so I decided that Alberta would be my best choice. "Alberta, you have to call my mom! You have-"

"Hathaway, Belikov, what are you doing out after curfew?" Alberta interrupted me.

"It's Lissa, she's in danger. Someone has taken her." I continued, ignoring her question.

"Are you sure?" She asked, my words taking hold.

"Yes. I was pulled into her head. She's really scared, Alberta."

"There haven't been any alarms, how could Strigoi have gotten on and off campus without being detected?" Alberta said more to herself than anyone.

"It wasn't Strigoi. It was Guardians. I could see their clothing, but not their faces." I explained in a hushed voice.

Alberta gave me another questioning look, but busied herself in calling in my mother and other Guardians that could assist in creating and executing a plan to bring Lissa back.

"We have it from here; the two of you can head back to your dorms now." Alberta said as a knock sounded against the door.

"I'm going Alberta." I stated, leaving no room to argue. "I can see through Lissa. I will be able to help you get to her much faster."

Alberta seemed to mull over the idea as she called out for whoever was knocking on her door to enter. Seeing my mother, I ran into her arms. "We have to get her back, mom." I cried out.

"Hush now, Rosemarie. We will, don't you worry." She steered me back into my seat and turned her attention to Alberta. "What do we know?" she asked.

"Only what Rose has told us. Princess Dragomir has been taken off campus by what Rose says is Guardians."

"Guardians, Rosemarie, are you sure?" Janine said as she spun her entire body in my direction.

"Yes, mom, it was guardians."

"Do you know what they wanted? Where they were headed, perhaps?" She continued to ask.

"No, I was able to pull out of her mind and rush over here." I told her. Her eyes fell to Dimitri, but before she could say anything more, other Guardians piled into the office. Alberta asked that I once again try to find out more information through the bond.

I settled into my chair and nervously closed my eyes, when I felt a warm hand wrap around one of my own. Peeping down, I smiled as I saw Dimitri's hand holding mine comfortingly. "They are heading east out of town. I think I know that Guardian from somewhere. It's – it's" I came back to myself as I shuddered in confusion.

"Rosemarie, who took Lissa," my mother asked me as she laid a hand on my shoulder.

"It was Victor, I mean Prince Dashkov." I near whispered into the silent room.

"We have the cars ready out front." One of the Guardians told Alberta.

"We should leave before they can get any further." Alberta said. "Novice Belikov, return to your dorm and please, do not speak to anyone of this until we know what's going on. Novice Hathaway, you will be coming with us. We will need you to guide us along. I feel that with the assistance the bond will give us, it will defuse the situation much quicker." She added the last bit when an audible gasp was heard from one of the Guardians.

Dimitri gave my hand one last squeeze before standing up and leaving the room. I missed his presence immediately once the door closed behind him. I felt a shudder go through my body and had reached my hand up, wrapping it around my mother's hand that still rested on my shoulder. Uncharacteristically she kneeled down in front of me. "Rose, we will get the Dragomir Princess back. You will be okay. Help us get there, we will do the rest." She assured me. At the clearing of a throat, she glanced out of the corner of her eye, seeing that several Guardians were witnessing the infallible Janine Hathaway share a tender moment with her daughter. Her guardian mask slipped back in place and with a gentle pat to my hand, she stood up and moved to stand in attention at my side.

Alberta began giving out orders and soon enough we were walking briskly to the awaiting vehicles. Alberta, my mother and I took the first in line, the other Guardians dispersing into the last three. I slipped into the backseat, but was surprised when I found Christian Ozera tucked into the floor board between the passenger front seat and the bench seat I was now occupying. My mouth flew open as I searched for words as to what he was doing, but he stopped me by placing his finger to his lips along with a pleading look. I simply nodded and seconds later the car began moving forward. I closed my eyes and let myself get pulled into Lissa mind and guided Alberta along the roadways.

"They've passed a third driveway." I told her. "Wait they are turning into the fourth one. Lissa is being dragged out of the car and Victor is definitely behind it." I continued as I watched the guardians place Lissa in a chair. Victor began speaking with her. "Victor wants Lissa to heal him. He's been the one behind everything. The animals they were him. Wait. Who is Kenneth? Does anyone," my question was cut off as it felt like my head was going to explode. Kenneth was an air user and was using air to torture Lissa into submission. I screamed out along with Lissa as the pain become too much to bare. All to soon it stopped, leaving me breathless. "We need to get there now, they are torturing her." I screamed out. I opened my eyes to find my mother looking at me worriedly before her eyes jumped to something behind me.

"Novice Belikov," I heard her begin to question but I was sucked back into Lissa mind before I could begin to comprehend what she wanted to know. It felt like someone was sucking all of the air from my lungs. My chest burned and my throat tightened as if I was being choked. Just as I felt as if I would pass out the feeling stopped and I was left gasping for breath. I forced myself out of Lissa's mind once again.

"Rose! Rose! Roza!" I heard being screamed at me.

"Give her a moment Novice Belikov." My mother shouted. I looked into her face to see her wearing an expression of absolute fear.

"We need to get there now! Wait. Lissa is healing him." I said, ignoring everyone except the need to get to Lissa.

"We are turning into the driveway now." Alberta said.

"When we get there, the two of you are not to leave this car. Am I understood?" My mother demanded.

"Yes Ma'am." Dimitri acquiesced.

"Mom-" I began to argue at the same time.

"Rosemarie. Stay. In. The. Car." She gritted out. I gulped and nodded my head. I had no intentions of actually doing as she said.

Alberta and my mother jumped from the now parked car, and I watched as they joined with the other guardians to split up and begin their rescue raid of the large home. Christian rose from his hiding spot to sit in the seat next to me and I turned so I could look between him and Dimitri, who had hidden away in the third row seating.

"What are the two of you doing? This isn't some game." I yelled at them.

"That is my girlfriend in there. I wanted to help." Christian answered back.

"I wasn't going to let you come alone." Dimitri supplied at the same time.

"First off, I understand that you – love – Lissa, Christian, but you're Moroi. You would just get in the way. Second off, I am not alone, Dimitri. I am with fourteen other Guardians."

"I am not a helpless Moroi. I know offensive magic." Christian answered back. "I can help."

"Are we going to listen to your mom then Rose?" Dimitri asked.

"Hell no," I exclaimed. "Lissa is locked upstairs with a Guardian standing guard in her room and is compelling him to help her escape. She is going to attempt to climb down from the window. I'm going to go get her. The two of you are going to stay here, " I told them. They both began to argue with me. "I don't have time to argue with you. Dimitri, just stay here and keep Christian safe." I told him as I stepped from the vehicle.

I ran towards Lissa, but stopped at the edge of the trees, when I saw a group of psi-hounds cornering her. Picking up a large stick from the ground, I rushed forward, knocking one back. It turned its attention to me, hunkering down, and readying to attack. Bracing my hold on the stick, I swung toward its head as soon as he was within reach. The stick smacked against the psi-hound sending both it and me flailing backwards. I steadied myself, once again bracing for another attack when I noticed the stick had shattered. The psi-hound launched towards me once again and raising my hands to try and block the attack, I was distracted by movement from my peripheral vision. Dimitri rushed forward and with a single round house kick sent the psi-hound into the air. I nodded in thanks and rushed to stand between Lissa and the two psi-hounds that still had her cornered. They weren't really attacking, just keeping her contained. I glanced between them and Dimitri who was battling it out with the third.

I watched in horror as Dimitri began to wrestle the beast to the ground. He eventually was able to gather the psi-hound into a choke hold and produce a pocket knife from somewhere. He sent the sharp blade into the chest of the animal before pulling it out and slitting its throat. The battle over, a winded Dimitri rolled off of the animal and laid beside it on the ground. It was then that I noticed he had a large gash along his thigh and bite marks along his arm.

I wanted to run to him, but knew that I could not leave Lissa. I yelled out to Dimitri, and was relieved when he answered back. Knowing that he was at least conscious made me feel somewhat better. I took in my surrounding once again and noticed that Victor Dashkov had somehow escaped the rescue party and was heading our direction. Pushing Lissa directly behind me I stood in a defensive pose. He would never lay another hand on her as long as I lived.

"Rose, I only want Vasilissa. Be a good girl and move out of the way. I don't want to hurt you." Victor said as he drew closer to us.

"I don't think so." I yelled at him. "You will have to kill me before you ever lay a hand on her."

"That can be arranged." Victor answered back as he swiftly pulled and steadied a gun in my direction. "Now hand her over. There is no need in any more bloodshed, but I will get what I want. Don't test me Rose."

"You will kill her." I told him. "What you want her to do will kill her. She can't keep healing you forever." I warned.

"I know that, child, but with her healing I can gain what I want. Now move out of the way. This is the last time I will ask." He sneered.

I simply shook my head as I saw my mother and Alberta slip behind him. "Put the gun down, Prince Dashkov." Alberta's told him when she was just a few yards away. Victor sensing he was about to be defeated, grinned manically.

"If I cannot get what I want, then our world will lose the most precious gift they have received." He said almost too calmly. "Attack," He commanded and in under a second I stood frozen in utter fear as I watched the last two psi-hounds launch themselves in the air, their target the gentle Moroi Princess that stood just behind me. Twisting around, I wrapped my best friend in my grasp causing her to fall to the ground. I placed myself protectively around her body, but the attack never came. Time seemed to have stopped as I waited for the viciousness of teeth and claws to rip into my skin.

Instead, time started again all at once. I heard the beasts let out painful whimpers, at the same time as Victor's yell of defeat and a gunshot sounded off. I thought that I would feel the burn of the bullet, but after a moment of no pain, I rolled off Lissa and we sat up to find the horrifying scene in front of us. Christian lay sprawled at our feet, gasping for breath as blood began to cover his chest. The psi-hounds lay just beyond him, both in burnt heaps of skin and bone.

Lissa screamed out for Christian and before I could stop her she was knelt over his body, trying to force her magic to flow between them. "I can't." She whimpered. "Victor took so much from me." Glancing again at Christian, I felt Lissa's feelings for him. They met the same intensity of the ones I felt for Dimitri. I did the only thing I could think of. I yanked my jacket off my shoulder, tossing my hair back, and nodded to Lissa. She gave me a look of mixed sorrow and thankfulness just before she sunk her fangs into me. The endorphins from her bite sent me into a haze of blissfulness and all to soon it was over.

I watched in dazed awe, as she knelt beside Christian. As her magic flowed between them, I felt as we both became more unstable and tried to reach out to her to stop her. I weakly pulled her away from Christian as another dizzy wave began to overtake me. Lissa and I held tight to one another as we both fought to stay alert after the use of so much of her magic, but all too quickly I felt the world disappear around me and succumbed to the darkness beyond as my body finally gave out.


	22. Chapter 19

Dimitri Belikov

"Novice Belikov." I heard my name called as the curtain was pulled back.

"Hello Headmistress Kirova, Guardian Petrov." I greeted in return.

"I am happy to see that you are doing better, but what were you thinking sneaking off like that?" Headmistress Kirova spoke, her voice calm, but carrying notes of condemnation.

"I-I don't know. I didn't much think about it. I just knew my friends were in danger." I answered.

"We won't get into that quite yet, at least until you are released from the infirmary. I do however need a few answers." She went on. "Can you tell me what happened out there?"

"Lissa somehow escaped and Rose went to help her. She told me and Christian to stay in the car, but we heard the Psi-Hounds. Before I could stop him, Christian ran out of the car, so I followed him. I heard Lissa and Rose's screams so I told Christian to stay put behind a tree, and ran to help them. All the Guardians were busy inside the house. Rose couldn't get to Lissa because one of the Psi-Hounds was attacking her. It-it launched at her, but Rose had lost her weapon so I jumped in and knocked it away from her. I saw her run towards the Princess, but I couldn't really keep up with what was going on. The Psi-Hound was attacking me. I eventually killed it though. Everything after that is a little hazy. I think I kept passing out." I told her honestly.

"Thank you Novice Belikov. That should be plenty for now. I'll leave you to rest." With a nod to Guardian Petrov, she left the room.

"Guardian Petrov?" I called out before she too could leave. "How are they?"

"You all made it back. You all will heal and hopefully learn from this." She said.

"What-" I began to ask what had happened to them but Guardian Petrov excused herself and quickly exited the room. Moments later I heard hushed voices coming from the hallway and I strained to understand what they were saying.

"This is unprecedented. I am not sure what actions need to be taken just yet. I need to wrap my mind around this. All this time, those girls have hidden this, and now – well now, I don't know what to think. I barely believed they held the bond, but this? We can't let it get out. Not just yet anyways." I heard the headmistress tell them. "Has Rosemarie awoken yet?"

"For a bit, but she fell right back to sleep. Dr. Olendzki said the medicine should wear off soon." I heard Rose's mother say. "I think I will go wait with her. I'll let you know when she is alert." Her footsteps padded a few feet away and I heard the opening and closing of a curtain. Rose was close by then.

"The princess is visiting the feeders again?" I heard the Headmistress ask.

"Yes. Once she was awake, well you saw. This hasn't happened since Saint Vladimir, Ellen. What do you think it means? The Princess was already in enough danger being the last of her family. Someone has already tried to exploit her," Guardian Petrov began.

"Yes- Yes. We must keep it quiet. She has the academy Guardians, she has Guardian Hathaway. We keep her safe. I should have listened to those girls, but I was too blinded by my anger. This school failed them, but it won't happen again." She said assuredly. "I'll be in my office. Call me once they are all awake."

With nothing else to listen in to, I closed my eyes and let sleep overtake me once again.

Rosemarie Hathaway

Everything was quiet and still. Too quiet, I thought to myself. Opening my eyes and sitting up I called out Lissa's name, only to be met with the face of my mother.

"Shh, Rose." She said as she placed a hand on my arm. "Lissa is safe. She's at the feeders. You're all safe now." She said soothingly. I paused, taken back by the worried expression she held. "Thank Vlads, you're all safe." She whispered more to herself.

"Dimitri? Christian?" I asked, not knowing if I wanted to hear the answer.

"Christian is just fine. Lissa," She paused. "Lissa healed him," she continued, shaking her head in wonderment and disbelief.

"What about Dimitri?" I asked. I really didn't want anyone dwelling on that bit of information.

"Dimitri will be okay. After we got back and Lissa awoke, she healed him as well. We are all in a bit of shock. Why did neither of you say anything? I'm her Guardian, Rose. You could have trusted me."

"We didn't know who we could trust." I answered her sadly. She gave my hand a squeeze and relaxed in her chair.

"I suppose that is beside the point now. I was so worried about you. I've never been so scared in my life. Please don't ever do anything so foolish again? Promise me." She pleaded.

"Mom, Lissa is my priority. I will always do whatever it takes to keep her safe." I told her.

"You understand so much." I barely heard her. "You are going to be a great Guardian when you graduate Rose, but you can't always rush in without some sort of plan." She said as her eyes shone with fear of whatever thought was going through her mind.

"I didn't have time to plan. Lissa needed me, and so I went." I told her. She gave me a small smile.

"Well, how about we spring you out of here?" She asked, changing the subject, her face once more expressionless.

"Can I see Lissa and the others?" I asked.

"I'm sure. They've all left the infirmary already, but I imagine they are already at breakfast. Lissa will join you guys when she is done at the feeders." She assured me.

She walked with me to the cafeteria and then left me to my friends while she went to meet up with Lissa and relieve the Guardian who was temporarily watching over her.

Breakfast was a silent affair. After giving a few evasive answers to our friends, they realized we weren't going to give any more details on what had happened other than what they had already heard. Instead, the four of us would meet one another's gaze knowingly.

"Rose, walk with me to class?" Dimitri asked. I nodded, falling behind the other novices making their way to the gym.

"About last night," He began. "I understand if you want to distance yourself from me."

"What are you talking about Dimitri?"

"I didn't realize we had been charmed. I should have known, should have protected you instead of attacking you."

"You didn't attack me and it wasn't exactly wrong. We couldn't help it. It was the spell. It affected us both."

"It doesn't matter. It was still wrong."

"Hey. It's not a big deal," I started.

"It is a big deal Rose. You weren't ready for that step yet. I took advantage of you."

"No." I said, coming to a stop in our walk. "You didn't."

"How can you say that?" He asked. His eyes took in my stance. He could always read me so well and I saw as understanding flashed in his eyes.

"Even without the spell, I may have been ready last night." I told him honestly.

"You don't know that though." He said his eyes boring into mine.

"No, not really, but do you really want to walk away from this just because of that?" I asked. My mind pleading that he didn't."

"Does it really matter what we want?" He asked me after a moment.

"What does that mean?" I asked him defensively.

"In just a few months we will graduate. You will most likely move on as Lissa's Guardian. Ivan plans on requesting me. Like you and Lissa, we've always hoped that I would become his Guardian. There really isn't a future for us. Why play in the fire when we both know we are only going to get burned?" He asked.

"Why give up on something so beautiful before we truly have too?" I countered.

"Because, Roza, if I give into you," He didn't get to finish his thought though because a Guardian joined us at that moment.

"There you two are. Headmistress Kirova would like to speak with you both." He said. I gave Dimitri a look that said our conversation was far from being over and turned towards the Guardian with a questioning glance. "Guardian Petrov and she are waiting," is all he said. I nodded my head and fell into step beside him, leaving Dimitri to follow behind us.

The meeting went quickly. They only went over the details we had already given them and soon excused Dimitri and I to join our classmates. We stepped out of Kirova's office, but I didn't feel like striking up our earlier discussion.

"I think I am going to try to get in to talk with Victor tomorrow." I told him.

"I don't think that is a good idea. He's dangerous." He grabbed my shoulder, easing me to a stop.

"You don't get to break my heart and then tell me what to do, Dimitri." I snapped at him.

"Rose." He gasped. "Do you even know if our feelings are real for one another?"

"I don't know about how you feel anymore, but I am pretty certain of what I feel."

"Are you? Can you completely rule out that our feelings are because we may have been under spells this whole time?"

"Is that what you're worried about?" My anger softened just a bit. "Is that what you truly think?"

"I don't know what to make of this whole mess. I just know what I feel right now."

"And what exactly do you feel right now?" I pushed. He must have seen something in my face because he met my gaze with one of deep and serious intensity.

"Because, I don't feel the same way anymore, it was only a spell, Rose. I'm sorry, but I am not interested in you like that." He said. My breath caught in my throat. In just a few words, he turned everything I had found beautiful and full of meaning between us into dust. Nothing laid in its wake except complete rejection. "My feelings, they weren't real. Last night and everything before it, it was only the spell. Do you understand?"

I didn't think my heart could shatter into smaller pieces than it already had. Humiliated and not wanting to make a bigger fool of myself by continuing to argue or even begging, I shrugged. "Yeah, I understand."

I fled his presence and spent the rest of the day sulking in my room. Lissa and none of my other friends could draw me out. I had impressed Kirova with my performance during the rescue and a result she had fully ended my house arrest, but ironically, I only wanted to stay inside.

The next day, I did get in to see Victor. I had more questions now more than ever. It took a lot of persuasion but luckily one of the Guardians on duty had been with our rescue mission and had witnessed some of what had happened. He allowed me to slip through under instructions that I only had five minutes to speak.

"Rose, this is a surprise." He looked up when he heard me approaching his cell. "I was under the impression I would not be allowed any visitors."

"I'm not here for a friendly chat Victor. I want you to put an end to the spell. Just let it be finished." I told him.

"What are you talking about dear?" He questioned.

"The spell you placed on me," I began, "and Dimitri." I finished after a short pause.

"The spell has already burnt itself out. It is done."

"No. It's not. I still keep thinking about him. I keep wanting…"

Victor smiled at me knowingly. "Rose, the feelings were there before I ever placed the spell."

"You're wrong. He doesn't want me anymore. He never has, and I can't stop thinking about him. It's never been this bad. My feelings have grown. Please just end the spell."

"You may not have consciously known the feelings where there, dear, but they were. The physical and mental attraction was already part of you both. The spell would not have worked otherwise. The only thing the spell did was remove any inhibitions you both held. Without any reserves, your feelings for one another strengthened, but it did not add anything new to them."

"Stop the lies, Victor. He has already told me he does not feel the same way."

"No Rose. I am telling you the spell would not have worked if that was the case. He is lying to you. If this is all you came for, perhaps you should be questioning him… and yourself. You're both Dhampir, but that shouldn't surprise me. Not where you are concerned anyhow. A little school crush between two Dhampir is something that can be forgiven in our world, but the two of you have allowed your feelings to go beyond that, into something more forbidden. You both could use lessons in how to control and hide your feelings. I was able to recognize them after just a few observations after Natalie brought it to my attention. Poor Rose, you really do have a knack for falling into the most forbidden areas of our kind."

"You really are sick. Not only for what you did to us, but for what you did to Lissa most of all."

"Oh I have no regrets my dear. I would do it again if I could. You may think of me as a monster, but I love my people. I only wanted what was in their best interest. They have no real leader. I planned to step up and become one. Now it appears that has been taken away and we are left with no one worthy." He continued on. "Vasilissa may have it in her. That is if she can overcome the influence that Spirit has on her. Those that are blessed with Spirit have two outcomes. They will either give in to the fear and depression, only to waste such a gift by often times becoming something as unholy as Strigoi. Others, though, they can become something much greater than we have ever seen. Vasilissa has that potential. She has the blood of the Dragomirs and you, Rose, her shadow-kissed Guardian. Neither are a small thing, so who knows? She may surprise us all."

"Shadow-kissed," I questioned.

"Yes, Rose, there is a name for what you are. You are kissed by the shadow of Death. You crossed into that world and returned. It was Lissa's doing and it is what forged your bond. It's rare and special, but it also marks your soul. It is why you are so reckless and all-giving in everything you do. You may not recognize it as so, but your soul does. It is why you don't hold back your feelings. It makes you more passionate and why your anger can sometimes get the best of you. It makes you a remarkable person, but it also makes you a very dangerous one."

I stood stunned and speechless. Victor seemed to realize that and he smiled approvingly.

"Yes, the two of you are extremely special and rare. Sadly this Academy is much too ignorant to see what they have in either of you. "

"It doesn't matter now. Your plan was stopped. You won't ever get what you want. Did you really think that no one would question how you mysteriously were cured? Even if no one found out about Lissa, do you honestly think they would have ever allowed you to lead our people?" I questioned.

"Hmm, you may be correct about that, but then again, it doesn't matter. Do you think that I was working alone? There are many Moroi that hold my same beliefs and that, Rose, is something you should not forget. The greatest and most powerful revolutions begin very quietly, hidden in the shadows." He seemed to have run out of words and sat eyeing me as my mind wrapped around everything he had said.

Odd sounds began to fill the room and I took a moment to look back towards the entrance. The Guardians who let me in were gone, so I craned my neck to follow the grunts and thumps.

"Finally." Victor smiled in triumph as he stood up.


End file.
